


Voltage (Choni - Riverdale)

by posiewosie



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: AU, Action/Adventure, Bisexual, F/F, Gay, Lesbian, Superheros, choni, superheroAU, supernaturalau
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-09
Packaged: 2019-11-08 20:14:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 24
Words: 78,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17987816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/posiewosie/pseuds/posiewosie
Summary: Ordinary takes a turn when something not so ordinary happens.Then you become Extraordinary.(Lots of smut)





	1. Chapter 1

Riverdale, New York.

It was a city full of secrets, serpents and sinister schemes that boiled below the belts and silk stockings of those whom held billions of bills hostage in their banks. Dirty money, usually, drugs, weapons, sex rings, prostitution, anything one can think of in modern day crime. If you had money, it was because one of these things played a big part.

If you were poor and you weren't in a gang, you were in danger, no matter what.

 

That's why I was so passionate about helping the good people of Riverdale whom only cared about their families, and living their lives as people, not targets or casualties. I wasn't special, not by any means, but as a serpent, I had influence, and I knew how to work a gun, so if I needed, I whipped it out, mainly just to scare some creep in an alley or purse snatcher. I like to think of myself as a little vigilante, only who isn't involved with the police. Especially since so many of the cops in Riverdale are crooked and greedy.

I work at the Whyte Wyrm, a broken down dive bar on the south side of the city, and I lived in an apartment just above it. It wasn't big by any means, but it was where I lived, and I only paid $250 a month, no utilities. The Wyrm is primarily serpent territory, but it was open to the public, though nobody ever went there unless they were bold, or close to another Serpent.

Nobody was close to me though.

I don't get close to people, because people don't like me. And it's honestly easier that way, since heartbreak is impossible when you don't have a heart.

The Whyte Wyrm isn't my only job, considering the fact that I'm saving up. I don't know what I'm saving up for, in all honesty, but it doesn't matter, because eventually, I'll want to get out of my musty little apartment and stop smelling like booze and barf when I come home.

I work, taking care of an elderly lady on Thornhill, on the northside of Riverdale. Thornhill Manor belonged to the richest family in this dreaded city, The Blossoms.

Just like every other rich person in Riverdale, their money is also dirty. Clifford Blossom, the son of the lady I take care of, is the heir of the maple syrup business, which happens to be a cover up for a business in manufacturing a drug called Jingle Jangle. The only reason I know this is because for a long while, the Serpents had to help with the delivery of them, as well as Meth, Greenlight and Nitro.

Ever since working with Rose Blossom, I've learned three things; both Clifford and his wife, Penelope, are the most despicable people I've ever met; they were very secretive; and their daughter is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.

I saw her every late morning, like clock work, while I was preparing Rose's breakfast. She would come down from her room at exactly 9:30 with wet hair, as though she'd showered, and a new way to mix the color red into her wardrobe.

I can safely say that I wasn't bothered by it though.

She walks around the island, across from where I stood, preparing her grandmother's breakfast every morning, and sits there for ten minutes. After the ten minutes pass, she'd get up and join me in the kitchen, making me dance around her to get Rose's food and meds while the girl makes her own breakfast, which usually consisted of a strawberry muffin and a glass of almond milk. Then, as I sat with Nana Rose and let the woman talk to me as she ate, Cheryl would sit across the table from us, staring at me silently as she ate neatly. After eating, she sat there for an additional twenty minutes, listening to me have conversations with her Nana and adding little remarks every once in a while. It'd been this way for the last two years, every time I worked with her grandmother.

Usually at 11:00, Cheryl would leave the house, or retreat back up to her room, not emerging for anything until it was time for lunch. I always felt her eyes lingering on me when I wasn't looking, so I knew beyond a shadow of reasonable doubt that the attraction I felt toward the woman was reciprocated.

We never talked, however. I've never said a word to her, and vice versa, the entire time I worked with her grandmother. We talked indirectly, through Rose, but never to each other. It was nice, and she smiled at me from across the kitchen, but I was obviously missing out on something, and I didn't figure that out until today, when Clifford had asked me work mornings and nights while he and Penelope were out of state for some rich white dude convention for the next two weeks. I needed the money, so I decided to take the shifts. It was the third day, and I was headed out of Thistle House when a weight on the door made the knob slip out of my hand and the door slam.

In the dark of the room, I turned around and squinted to see what was inhibiting my departure, before the lights turned on, showing a serious glare from the one and only, Cheryl Blossom.

"You've been spending too much time here, lately, serpent." she said, her voice steady and strong as her plump, red lips moved to speak to me.

"O-okay?" I stammered, and she moved her arm from above my head so she no longer trapped me between her body and the door.

"Are you stalking me or something now?" she asked in a harsh, rush tone, and I scoffed.

"No, your parents wanted me to make sure Nana Rose is taken care of while they're away." I assured, and she rolled her eyes.

"She's my nana, I'm sure the two of us can manage." she insisted, causing me to raise a brow.

"Do you really want to change her and bathe her like I do?" I asked, watching as her eyes softened in realization.

"Perhaps not..." she trailed off before stepping back for a second, looking down to the floor in thought as she tucked her hands beneath her arms.

"Looking for another reason to talk to me, to no avail?" I teased, to be immediately met with a look of utter horror from the stunning redheaded princess.

"Why on earth would you deem yourself good enough for me, a Blossom of Thornhill Manor, to actually want to speak with you?" she asked, and I tried to fight back a grin as I watched her eyes trail my body with uncertainty.

"Besides the fact that if your gaze were lips, I'd be covered in hickies?" I asked with a subtle smirk, then she looked away from me altogether before storming away. "See you tomorrow, sweetie!" I said after her, causing her to groan in frustration before stomping harder up the stairs. I chuckled to myself before walking out and getting on my bike to leave.

The next day, Cheryl left her room at the same time, just like every day, only this time, instead of making me juggle around her while she got her stupid muffin, she decided she would make something different, so as I cut up fruit and gathered things for Rose's waffles, Cheryl purposely moved dangerously close to me, reaching over my head for things.

Now, Cheryl was considerably taller than me, and the top she was wearing was considerably see through, so as she stretched, my eyes were sucked into her cleavage as her chest grew dangerously close to my face.

It was obvious how purposeful she was with all of this too, because the ingredients she was grabbing didn't even make any sense.

What kind of meal do you make that requires hot sauce, cinnamon, dry, uncooked pinto beans, and red wine vinegar?

No meal, that's the answer.

And bending down to grab a pan was just for me to stare at her backside. I knew that when I looked, and caught her looking at me from the side of her body, as though she wanted to know if I was watching her, which I 100% was.

After our usual breakfast interactions, Cheryl walked toward where Rose and I sat to take Rose's plate for her, grazing my thigh with her hand before she took the dish and walked out, swaying her hips as she left into the kitchen.

Cheryl literally ended up eating a fucking strawberry muffin and Almond milk again. She was just grabbing that stuff to get my attention, as I had suspected in the first place.

After a walk with Rose in the garden, we watched an old film she claimed she liked, and we talked some more.

Usually, we liked to sit all day and talk under the big maple tree out by the barn, but it was growing too fast, and the Blossoms were working on getting it cut down, so we were restricted to the den inside the house.

I really liked talking to Rose Blossom, because I could get a perspective of what Riverdale was like before all the drugs, and guns, and greed took over it. She lived in Riverdale her hole life, so to think that it was originally a small town is insane.

Rose was really so wise, and that's what I loved about older people. I've always wanted to know everything growing up, because I always felt like I didn't know enough. Even now, I feel that way, after having graduated at the age of sixteen.

Yet, look at where I am, six years later.

Once 6:00 hit, I helped the oldest Blossom into her pajamas, and she was in bed by the half mark of the hour, so I decided to clean some dishes before I would leave, because I was an honest worker, and if I was being paid until 7:00, I was going to work until then.

"You're not very subtle, serpent." Cheryl's voice floated into my ears, and I turned around, to be met with the sight of the tall, slender woman, standing with her hand against the kitchen entryway as she leaned onto it.

"Says the woman who supposedly needed beans and vinegar to make a store bought strawberry muffin." I countered, and she sauntered toward me until she was looking down at me as I leaned against the sink to look up at her.

"Anyone with two working eyes and an accurate gaydar would know that you find me aesthetically pleasing." she mumbled, leaning behind me to turn off the water, and I shrugged.

"Anyone with two ears would also know that," I stated, "I literally say it, like all the time. Like, I'm pretty sure even your nana knows." I said with a nod as though it was obvious. Cheryl's eyes fell to my lips slightly before they climbed back up to meet mine.

"Well, I'm not interested, so stop persisting." she demanded. I simply scoffed.

"I'm just trying to do my job, Blossom." I assured, to which she rose a brow at me.

"Why?" she asked, then it was my turn to quirk a brow.

"I literally live in musty old studio above the Whyte Wyrm and you're asking me why I'm doing my job?" I asked, and she rolled her eyes.

"Why don't you persist?" she asked. I thought about it for a moment, and she had a good point. Why did I never go after the daughter of a billionaire drug dealer who also happens to control my salary and half the city I live in?

"I always figured you were straight." I lied. If I really wanted a straight girl, I could get her, no problem.

"Good." Cheryl sputtered slightly. "Because I am." she lied, and I could see it.

"Okay..?" I shrugged longly, just wanting to get back to work. She eyed me for a moment before leaving the kitchen, slowly, but surely.

Don't get me wrong, I was interested, without a doubt, but she was obviously very unsure of herself, and I wasn't really trying to get fired for misconduct.

After finishing the dishes, I cleaned off the counter, and walked out, only to be met with the sight of Cheryl sitting on my bike.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked, and the girl shrugged.

"I need no aim," she said with a smile, "I simply... do." she shrugged. I rolled my eyes before walking down the steps of her house and standing beside my vehicle.

"Okay," I exhaled, "do you wanna go for a ride?" I asked, and she seemed to ponder it for a moment. I honestly didn't understand why she got on it if she didn't want to ride on it.

"Sure." she said simply, and I rolled my eyes before straddling the bike in front of her. I gave her my only helmet, causing her to look at me with hesitance. "If you want to live, put on the fucking helmet, Princess." I insisted, then she complied. She put her arms around my waist, holding tightly as I brought the engine to life and drove off.

Her grip was deadly, to the point that it actually hurt when I turned corners and she held me tighter.

Once we had finally stopped, we were at the drive-in, and I paid our way in, before parking against the building. Once Cheryl let her grip off of me, I let out a heavy exhale, joyous to get my breath back into my lungs.

"What are we doing at a dusty old drive-in?" she asked before looking around, "It's not even dark yet." the heiress complained, and I rolled my eyes.

"You talk too much." I complained back, then took her hand to drag her into the building. I pulled her to a door before opening it, revealing a flight of stairs. As we walked upstairs, I picked up some blankets I'd left there from the last time I was here, until we met the door to the roof. Once we walked out, I laid a blanket out onto the ground so we could sit, and tucked another beneath my head as I laid, watching as the sun darkened, blending with the blue of the sky to make a purple hue that kissed the windows of Riverdale skyscrapers that peaked behind the large white screens that we'd be watching the movie on. I sighed at the serenity in my heart filling slowly, when the redheaded woman laid her head beside mine silently, obviously enjoying this sight as much as I was.

"I don't hate you." Cheryl whispered from beside me.

"I know, Cheryl." I assured, then she took my hand in hers between us.

"And I'm not straight." she mumbled.

"I know, Cheryl."

She turned around to face me, so I decided to do the same.

"You're mysterious," Cheryl admitted, "and usually, I don't like that. For some reason, on you, it's alluring." she muttered, "I want to figure you out."

"I'm like a sudoku puzzle," I joked, "simple, but annoying as hell at first."

Cheryl grinned at the jest, and we simply looked at each other for a moment before she leaned in and planted a kiss on my lips softly, her hand on my cheek to hold my head still.

It was silent between us, and I exhaled at the tight feeling her lips gave my chest.

"Thank you."

...

"So wait, she kissed you, and you said, 'thank you'?" Jughead laughed from where he sat at the bar, and I chuckled as I wiped some spilled tequila with a rag.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" I asked, to which my friend weighed my answer before chuckling.

"Well, it was very polite of you, I guess." he teased, and I groaned.

"What else was I supposed to do?" I asked.

"Uh, I don't know, kiss her back?" he responded sarcastically, causing me to roll my eyes.

"Whatever, dude. I got my girl, and that's what I care about." I boasted.

"Sure, I mean, who doesn't want a badass, leather clad biker who doesn't smell like motor oil and booze?" he asked.

"I'm pretty sure that smell is the pinnacle of living in my apartment." I joked.

The next morning was the same as it always was; I got Rose up, dressed, and brought her out to the kitchen, where Cheryl was already eating her muffin.

Unusual.

"Good morning, Toni Topaz." She said with a sweet smile, and I rose my brow before turning to begin making Rose's oatmeal.

"Morning, Blossom." I said, my tone slightly questionable.

"Did you sleep well last night?" She asked.

"I mean, for the four hours i actually got, yeah, I slept pretty solid." I said simply as I poured the milk into the bowl of oats. "What about you?"

"I stayed up all night," she admitted, "I had an encounter with someone that made me ponder a lot of things about myself."

"Like what, my dear child?" Asked Nana Rose.

"Whether I was destined to be what I am now." She admitted softly as she picked at the muffin.

"What is that you are now?" I queried.

"A spoiled rich girl with absolutely too much on her hands." She knocked.

"Nonsense!" Rose shouted, "You're a strong, independent woman, you've just been alotted too much." she insisted.

"What does that mean?" I asked as I sliced some strawberries for her oatmeal.

"That son of mine has been flooding your pockets with too many privileges, to the point that my poor Jason is paying the price everyday." She explained.

"What are you talking about, Nana Rose?" I asked, confused as I set the bowl down onto the table in front of her so she could eat her breakfast.

"Jason lives in Los Angeles, in a big, empty mansion by himself." Rose recalled, "He was unbothered by the misconduct of this family, and now, he's an empty shell of a man, destined to die alone." she explained, "Luckily for you, my dear," Ros directed to Cheryl, "You have always seen the flaws in your father's world, and you have people who care about you." the oldest woman's eyes met mine, and the blue of just the one sent a shiver up my spine. "You can escape this hell before you become Jason, and you can make a good, honest life for yourself." she said optimistically.

"Nana, I don't understand-" Cheryl was cut off by the wise old woman.

"Your father is a drug dealer, my dear Cheryl." she stressed, "Go check the syrup cellar, I assure you that everything will make sense when you see what he's been working on." she assured, but Cheryl eyed me before looking to Rose.

"Should you really be telling me this in front of her-" she was cut off again by the old woman.

"I trust miz Topaz more than I could ever trust those parents of yours!" she said loudly before looking to me. "Go with her, I can manage to eat this on my own." she insisted, and I looked to Cheryl in confirmation. She shrugged before standing up and walking with me to the back door, where we headed toward the barn.

The men who were hired to cut down the colossal tree outside the barn had just packed up and left for their lunch, as they had done every day around ten in the morning since the Blossoms left. They took advantage of the high pay and lack of authority by coming late and leaving early, as well as taking extended lunch breaks. Who was I to nark? I mind my own business as far as anything that doesn't have to do with Rose. Which is why I'm walking this way, because Rose asked me to.

"Daddy always insisted I stay away from the cellar." Cheryl admitted as we trekked up the small slope on Thornhill. "It was forbidden of me." she looked down at me from the corner of her eye, "Alongside many other things."

"Like what?" I asked.

"You." she admitted.

"Why would I be forbidden to you?" I asked in confusion, and she rolled her eyes.

"They know I'm attracted to women." she groaned, "They act like I don't, and that's why they're so insistent that I live with them still, at twenty three, because it means they can dictate who I bring into my life."

"So, what? Did they just assume you'd be into me because I'm a girl?"

"They noticed the way I look at you, I guess." she shrugged, "It wasn't until after you were working here for a while that they forbid me to pursue you."

"Did you actually plan on pursuing me?" I queried.

"Well..." she trailed off, "I'd been considering it for a while, until they tried to put a stop to it." she smirked at me for a second, "Then it became a challenge for me." she said, her voice laced with rebellion.

"What did?" I asked, and she stopped by the closed door to the barn, causing me to do the same. 

"I was interested before, but I don't like being told what to do." she rose a brow, "So for some reason, I'm more allured by you than I was before." she admitted.

"What are you gonna do about that?" I asked, a challenging tone in my voice, and she smirked, before taking my cheeks between her hands, pressing her lips to mine, almost immediately parting my lip with her tongue. I moaned in surprise at her suddenness, but placed my hands around her waist, nonetheless, just in time for her to turn and push me against the doors of the barn. I gasped against her mouth and gripped her waist rougher, so to keep my balance as her tongue stroked mine in the most tender way, assuring me that it was more than just her rebelling against her parents.

I pulled away, unable to breathe momentarily. I exhaled, my chest heaving, the redhead against me. She chuckled through her own breathlessness, and brought her thumb up to stroke my lip.

"You have red lipstick all over your mouth." she mumbled, and I laughed, not bothering to mess with it.

"Though somehow you still look perfect." I commended, causing her to laugh again before we opened the doors.

It looked normal enough, the barrels of syrup stacking up to the ceiling.

"It looks fine." Cheryl voiced, "She's becoming senile." Cheryl said, shaking her head in disdain for her grandmother.

"Maybe not..." I trailed off, noting the way one barrel steadily leaked, which is abnormal, considering Syrup is usually a thick, sticky substance that wouldn't drip like that. I walked directly across the barn to the barrel and stuck my finger under the faucet. It was the same color, and it was sticky, but the consistency was off. It was thin, and warm.

It smelled like syrup. It did not, by far, taste like syrup.

"GAGH!" I gagged as I spit out the taste. "It tastes like fucking battery acid!" I coughed, as Cheryl walked closer to lean down and take a closer look at the spout.

"It looks like... motor oil." she turned her nose up in distaste.

"No, I've been working on my bike everyday since I got it, I know what motor oil tastes like, that's not it." I assured.

"Maybe Nana Rose was right." Cheryl suggested, and I rose a brow.

"You think these barrels are filled with some kind of drug?" I asked, causing the heiress to shrug.

"I honestly wouldn't put it past daddy to do something like this." she admitted, "There's no way he can have a networth of four billion dollars because of maple syrup. He's like the twenty first century Al Capone." she alluded.

"Well, what does your Nana expect us to do with this knowledge?" I asked.

"Maybe we should go ask her?" she suggested.

We weren't even half way across the barn when we heard the roaring of some engine, and then a loud crash! There was a loud creaking sound, and my sprint toward the door was cut off when something came crashing down into the roof of the building.

I remember thrashing around, water filling my lungs as I tried to keep my footing, my mind and body frantic as I felt around for Cheryl. I tried to open my eyes under the water, only to notice that the substance I was swimming in was the unknown drug, and my eyes burned to be open.

That was honestly the last thing I remember before I woke up in my apartment, on the couch.

Only, something was different.

Not just something, everything.


	2. One

I remember blinking.

Being blinded by some light that hang above my head.

I could see it beneath my eyelids, the light itching at them.

Besides that, my mind went in and out, between what must've been dreams of the beautiful redhead that so relentlessly clouded my thoughts. Between these, dreams of all the terrible things in the city I was forced to witness in my twenty two years living in Riverdale. In my ears, I could hear screams of women, bloodshed, and so much more. It was as though I was experiencing a dream, a nightmare, and some terrible reality all in a sequence, like I was high. This was obviously a bad trip, and my entire body was buzzing, but with it came a scorching pain in the undertones of my body, like an aftertaste of razor blades.

It was awful.

I saw cold, steely, blue eyes through a pair of glasses as the light flashed, and I remember feeling terrified, and wishing I'd wake up from this, even if it meant I'd wake up to the sight of the hot depths of hell.

This was worse than any hell I could imagine.

For a minute, I even thought it was hell.

My heart was heavy in my chest, and it hurt my throat to scream, but everything sounded muffled, and my body felt as your hand or foot does when it falls asleep.

I blinked, and for what felt like ages, I was blessed with the sight of Cheryl, her beautiful red hair was crowning her face, her plump lips smiled brightly, and she reached forward, her hands reaching out to touch my face.

But then I blinked again.

And her brown eyes were a full, solid abyss of darkness. Her lips bled, until her entire body dematerialized, a pool of blood floating in front of me.

Then I woke up.

I was in some room I've never seen before. I laid on a huge bed with red comforters, and it was the most comfortable bed I had ever laid in. I blinked, and my eyelids were heavy, it hurt every part of me to even extend my lungs.

"Oh, good, you're awake." Cheryl's voice sounded from the area, and I snapped to the sitting position. I hissed at the crippling pain that coursed up my spine as I did so.

"God, what happened?" I asked, slowly opening my eyes to see Cheryl sitting in a chair beside the bed, hands on her knees, back as straight as a board.

"Those plebs daddy hired to cut down the big mable tree drove into the tree, which fell onto the barn." Cheryl explained simply, malice toward them in her voice.

"Are you okay?" I asked, looking at her, seeing as she looked as perfect as ever.

"I'm fine. I'm an excellent swimmer, so I managed to get out in time."

"Nonsense!" Shouted Rose from outside of the room. "Tell her the truth!" she insisted, causing Cheryl to roll her eyes.

"I'm fine." she assured, "I had to get you out of there so you didn't drown."

"Why would I have drowned?" I asked.

"They barrels all broke open and spilled everything out. You were hit in the head by something, and you were bleeding, and you started choking on all the chemicals." she explained, her voice becoming more urgent as she spoke, the tears in her eyes spilling down her cheeks. "I thought you weren't gonna make it!" she sobbed, her hands covering her face as she cried.

"Hey, come here," I asked, bringing my arms open so she could come into them once she sat on the bed beside me. I hugged her tightly, feeling her melt in my arms, and my body suddenly stopped hurting, my heart too full to acknowledge any pain I had. "Thank you for saving my life." I whispered against her shoulder as she calmed down.

"I called one of daddy's doctor to take care of you, and he said you had so many drugs in your system that he was surprised you're alive." she muttered after we pulled away from an embrace.

"How long have I been out?" I asked.

"Three days."

"Three days?!" I asked, urgently trying to throw myself out of bed.

"Stop, stop." Cheryl requested, pulling on my arm to keep me down. "I went by your other job and told the manager that you were in the hospital, and I took care of Nana Rose myself." she assured, "You just need to sleep." she asked of me. "Your head needs to heal."

With great hesitance, I stayed with Cheryl, and she took great care of me, as well as her grandmother for the next two days. She fed me soup, and replaced my bandages. I stopped her when she offered to give me a sponge bath.

It seemed as though Cheryl was enjoying being so hospitable in this role, and it made me feel happy, knowing she cared so much about my wellbeing.

Now, it was about seven, and Cheryl had made us dinner after having taken her grandmother to bed.

"What happened to the workers and the barn?" I asked around my soup.

"Daddy can't be back until the day he scheduled, so he told me to let the lawyers handle it." she explained, "He has some people coming down tonight to get rid of the drugs and replace it with syrup. The workers will be sued, and probably stripped of their jobs, homes and everything they love, knowing them." she sighed, "Your medical bills and three week's vacation are going to be paid, per my request of daddy. I really don't wanna lose you as a caregiver, Toni." she said, her tone hopeful as she laid her hand upon my knee above the blanket.

"Thank you, Cheryl." I smiled. We held eye contact, my head craned to the side where she sat beside me on the mattress.

"Can I kiss you again?" she mumbled, her eyes stuck on my lips. I nodded silently, so she took my now empty bowl to set on her bedside table. She kneeled on the bed so she was hovering over me to the point I had to keep my head tilted back. She pressed her lips against mine as she shimmied onto the bed, her knees beside my legs as she took my face in her hands. I hummed against her lips, and she seemed to take a chance when she moved one knee to straddle me, her hands tangling in my hair to solidify our position as she massaged my tongue with hers.

She moaned against me, her hips moving against mine as she pulled away and trailed her lips to my jawline, down my neck as she worked to calm her breathing. She moved her hands down my sides calmly, causing me to exhale against her touch.

I moaned, bringing my hands along her thighs and rubbing her thighs, as well as her backside, up her back, until I had her hair in my hands, pulling her closer against me as her hands trickled up into my shirt.

I decided that it was my turn to be where Cheryl was, as I definitely favor being dominant. Without blinking, I took Cheryl's waist in my hands, and flipped our positions.

Only, it was so fast that it seemed to shock Cheryl. She gasped when she landed beneath me, her eyes wide with surprise.

I felt it too, because I was never this strong.

"I had no idea you were so strong." Cheryl exhaled in wonder, caressing my upper arm with her fingertips.

"Me neither." I mumbled, my mind unable to comprehend how heightened Cheryl's touch against me was. Her fingers on my arm was like having some sort of microscope for my sense of touch. The nerves in my arms transferred up my spine as she touched me softly, eyeing me with a sense of awe. "Wh-what?" I asked in worry, looking from Cheryl's eyes, down her arm, until it met mine, and I noticed the veins glowing.

It was a bright pink color, and it was as though it glowed beneath my skin. I touched it, and noticed how it was warm upon my fingertips. It pulsed, throbbing with the beat of my heart, which was going crazy, both with my arousal, as well as this new revelation. "Where did this come from?" I asked myself in wonder, touching my arm, just as Cheryl was doing.

"I think it may be from the accident," she suggested, "maybe you're like, some kind of mutant now or something." The Heiress suggested before taking my hand and looking at it closely.

"Your veins, they're purple." she mumbled, "Are you in any pain, Toni?" she asked with worry.

"I don't know, everything just feels super intense." I admitted.

"Let me change your bandage real quick." she insisted before rolling out from under me to grab the gauze. I sighed before sitting closer to the edge of the bed where she could check out my wound. She unwrapped the gauze from around my head, and I watched her expression change from nurturing to confusion. She placed her thumb on my forehead, running it along my hairline, then down to my eyebrow. "It's gone." she whispered, her voice trembling in fear.

"What do you mean?" I asked, my eyes wide, heart throbbing in my chest.

"I mean that your head injury is nowhere to be seen, Toni." she explained as she looked around my head, in case she was just looking in the wrong place. Quickly, I got off of Cheryl's bed and ran to the bathroom to look in the mirror.

She was right, I couldn't see anything.

But what I could see was just as unbelievable.

"Cheryl, my hair is turning pink." I said cautiously, causing her to run up behind me. She stopped in her tracks, watching in the mirror as it changed colors before our eyes.

It was a faded, electric pink, and I almost looked like a different person than I did before this accident.

"What's going on?" I asked my reflection.

"I don't know, but I don't know if I should be afraid or turned on." Cheryl said from behind me, and I turned around to look her in the eye.

"I don't think it's an appropriate time to talk like that anymore, Cheryl." I suggested, to which she looked up at me in confusion.

"Like what?"

"I mean, I feel like this is too serious to be talking about how..." I hesitated, bashful at having to say the words aloud. "...turned on you are." I finished with an exhale.

"I didn't say anything." she assured, to which I rose a brow.

"Yeah you did, I heard you with my own two ears, you said you didn't know to be turned on or scared, I'm not deaf, Cheryl, I heard you." I insisted, unsure of this confusing moment.

"Look, Topaz, I don't know what that drug is doing to you, but I would never say something like that out loud." she said in all seriousness.

"Are you saying I'm hearing things?" I asked, slightly offended.

"I'm not saying I didn't think about that, Toni." she stressed.

I had to sit down. This was all making me dizzy.

I fumbled to lean forward onto the door, and my grip took it off its hinges.

"Oh my God!" I groaned before walking past Cheryl to lay face down on her bed.

"You've literally been mutated, Toni." Cheryl suggested, her tone full of wonder as she sat beside me and began rubbing my back softly. "I think you're like a superhero or something." she suggested, and I turned my head to look up at her.

"That's not it," I denied, shaking my head insistently. "That can't be it, Cheryl."

"I wouldn't rule it out, T." she pressed, "It's important that we analyze every possibility that comes with your condition, and with this, I wouldn't be surprised if you were given some special abilities.

"It's not like we can say that for sure." I hoped.

"Okay, but you wouldn't be the first one to develop special side effects like this."

"Why aren't you this way too?" I asked, and she shrugged.

"I didn't get hurt, and I didn't drink it like you did." she suggested, "Maybe it's been brought into your bloodstream, having a different effect on you."

"How do we find out how far this goes?" I asked.

"Easy," she smirked, "strength tests. Let's go to the gym."

"It's literally almost eight in the evening."

"I'm a Blossom, tear friend," she reminded, "I can get whatever I want."

...

"Two hundred pounds, Toni." Cheryl warned as she put another weight plate on each side of the bar. "Try it." she asked, and with ease, I lifted the bar from the pegs holding it up. I brought it up from my chest with no struggle. It felt like I was carrying a broomstick. "Two forty." she grunted as she put two twenty plates onto the bar. It continued until four hundred, and it grew no harder with each eight. "This is incredible." Cheryl muttered as she watched me move the bar effortlessly. "These bars will only be able to handle another hundred pounds, Toni." she warned, and I nodded.

"Do it." I demanded, and she did.

No change in my endurance.

"How do we go heavier?" I asked.

"Let's go to the junk yard on the southside." she suggested.

I drove her to the junk yard as she asked, and we snuck over the fence. I followed my companion to where a stack of old car parts stood to what must've been a mile high.

"What are you waiting for?" she asked, "Pick something up."

"Like what?" I asked.

"Start with something light," she suggested, "There's an old dishwasher," she pointed out, on the side of the pile, lying on its side pathetically.

Heeding her request, I shrugged and walked to it, taking it by the side, and lifting it above my head.

"Outstanding." she mumbled, looking up at the object as I held it above my head. I set it down, and looked up, noting a refrigerator that stood alone, between two piles of trash. I walked over to it, picked it up to throw it on my back, before moving it to another pile of truck.

I looked up the pile, and smirked.

For some reason, the adrenaline that came with discovering these new abilities was definitely flowing through my body in the most remarkable of ways.

I dropped my foot down upon the side of the pile, before using the strength in my knees to climb up the pile. My arms nearly flung me toward the top as I climbed upward. It felt so good to be so free, all my inhibitions, my pain, and my fears have dissipated before my eyes.

"Toni, where are you going?" Cheryl shouted up at me, and I laughed.

"To reach the stars!" I laughed, my heart yearning to be on the moon, to see everything in the world all at once.

"Maybe you should come down!" she suggested.

"How could I ever come down?" I asked with a laugh.

"We need to figure out what else you can do before we let you get carried away!" she rationalized, and I knew she was right.

I jumped down from where I was, landing on the ground, only, as I landed, I felt dirt and gravel fly up. I looked around and noted how the ground below me seemed to have been broken and cracked beneath me.

"Whoa," I laughed giddily, "I didn't know I gained that much weight." I joked before walking toward Cheryl, who waited near my bike. "Oh, Cheryl, I feel so good!" I said as I wrapped my arms around the redhead and spun her around in a circle. She laughed in my embrace, and when I stopped spinning, she looked down to me from between my arms, a soft smile in her eyes before she leaned down to kiss me. She locked her lips with mine, and I felt her smile into our kiss, causing a shiver of happiness to run through my spine.

"What the hell are you two doing here so late at night?" I heard a voice, and opened my eyes. I saw someone behind Cheryl, and hid my face with her shoulder as I still carried her.

"Don't turn around." I whispered as the girl moved to do exactly that. She just muttered a compliance before tucking her face in the crook of my neck. "Sorry," I muttered to the shadow between two stacks of garbage, "we were just leaving."

"This is Ghoulie territory, child." Said someone from behind me, the voice more old. I heard the draw of a blade from that direction.

Strange, when I heard the sound, I could almost see exactly what I was listening to.

"I'm so sorry, we didn't know," I said, ready to avoid any complication. "We're not gonna come back," I assured as I walked to my bike, lowering Cheryl to it, hiding her face with my body as I slid the helmet upon it. Just before I could straddle the bike, I heard the click of a gun being cocked back.

"That's now how it works, serpent." said one ghouly from the side, and I turned my head to the side, looking into the corner of my eye to see the barrel of a gun being pointed my way. "You know the rules, trespassing warrants a kill on sight."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." I warned, and noted a piteous chuckle from behind me.

"What are you gonna do to stop us, Serpent?" he asked, and I shrugged.

"I honestly have no idea." I admitted, and a laugh came again, before the gun went off, and I felt something hit me in the chest. I looked down to the place of impact, and noted the hole in my shirt that wasn't there before. My skin beneath was completely clean, and I chuckled when I saw the shine of the bullet on the floor. I bent down to pick it up, and noticed that the bullet was bent. 

It hit me, but my skink deflected it, like some bulletproof material.

I laughed, and flicked the bullet towards the person holding the blade behind me, causing him to fall back as it hit him. The person in front of me grew wide eyed before rushing to the side of the man on the ground. He checked the man's pulse, and he stood up, flashing his hands, covered in blood.

"What the hell are you?" he asked.

I had literally just killed someone with the flick of a bullet from my fingertips.

"Don't try anything with another serpent, or I'll come after every last one of you." I mumbled before pushing Cheryl forward onto the bike and starting the bike from behind her.

I'm happy I did, because the bullets went off again, and I felt them hit my back as we drove away.


	3. Two

I think it's safe to say that I had no idea what I was doing. Not with my new abilities, not with the Ghoulies, and most definitely not with Cheryl.

She was doing great through, really. She really cared, and as our routine continued as it was before this all happened, Cheryl had thrown caution my way more.

"Did you take your gummy vitamins, Toni?" She asked on the last morning of Clifford and Penelope's absence as I prepared another meal for her Nana.

"No, but I'm fine, I promise." I insisted, and she sighed.

"How do you know you're not still injured from the crash?" She asked.

"Cheryl, I'm sure we'd all know." I said seriously, causing Cheryl to sigh.

"Make sure we don't tell daddy we were in there when it fell. Nobody saw us, so we're fine." She requested. We all knew what the consequences would be if Clifford Blossom found out we were together, looking for drugs in the place her forbid anyone to enter.

Luckily for us, none of that collapse was our fault, so it was easy to get away from the blame.

A few things we've noticed over the past few days have been pretty convenient.

For instance, I'm suddenly a lot better at my job, which includes lifting an old lady in and out of her wheelchair.

Another example, is that my hair only sometimes turns pink.

Obviously, I'm bulletproof.

Something I've noticed on my own, in the solitude of my apartment, is that my sex drive is higher, and I can't help but break things I touch while I'm touching myself.

It may be a gift or a curse, but my senses are heightened. I can hear everything, including what people think. When I feel pleasure, it's almost tenfold before.

And when Cheryl comes near me, I feel every emotion, every brush of the hand, every whisper, every feeling one can feel, and more.

I try to stay as professional to Cheryl as possible, but my heart throbs in my chest, reminding me why I've always avoided feelings my whole life.

It all just reminds me of how relentlessly homosexual I am.

No wonder why there aren't any lesbian superheroes in the media.

I mean, I'm not a superhero, but it's been fun being able to help people out.

"Help! Somebody stole my purse!" An older woman shouted as I walking down the street from a shop to my bike.

I had a half gallon of milk in my hands, and I looked to my left, to see the man's retreating form.

"Hold this please, ma'am." I muttered, holding my head down beneath my hood as she took it. I turned around and took off, likely blowing her away, literally.

My eyes searched frantically as I looked around for my target, until I came up to a parking lot beside the Bijou, the most expensive hotel in the colossal city that was Riverdale, New York. I closed my eyes where I stood in the middle of the lot.

I heard a shuffle, and in my mind's eye, I could see the hooded assailant taking off from behind a red sports car.

I braced myself against the ground before kicking off and running into his direction.

As I was approaching him, I crossed my arms over my chest, and rammed into him, causing him to fall with a grunt.

He was younger, maybe my age, he had brown hair and a big, muscular stature.

But he was scared, he trembled at my feet, begging me not to kill him, which of course, I had no intentions of doing. I simply chuckled, shaking my head before lifting him to my face. His fearful visage was illuminated by the pink glow from my eyes.

Something else I didn't mention: my eyes glow brighter than my veins do, and they matched my hair.

This only happened when my adrenaline was high, I noticed. Otherwise, my hair and eyes were brown, my veins, invisible beneath my tan skin.

It really worked for intimidation tactics, I'll admit that.

"P-please, don't kill me!" He sobbed, and again, I laughed.

"Unless you want the unspeakable, I suggest you turn yourself in." I warned.

Yeah, voice hasn't changed, but the insane strength, super speed and glowing eyes don't exactly scream that I'm friendly like my voice does.

He nodded, then I dropped him, picking up the handbag as he stumbled over himself to run in the direction of the police station.

I smiled, satisfied with myself before speedily darting back towards the old woman. I stopped running so fast around the corner, and jogged up to the woman slowly, giving her the bag.

She wasn't too old.

Actually, she was really hot, for a woman in her forties, at least.

"So sorry he did that to you, ma'am." I smiled, trying to keep my face covered by my hood as I handed her the bag.

"Please, call me Alice. Thank you so much for getting it back!" She said with a smile, her hand on my shoulder before she handed my milk to me. "Who are you?" She queried, "Who will I be able to say saved my life?" She asked dramatically.

I thought about not giving her a name, but that would be rude.

But I couldn't give her my real name, of course.

Not many knew my last name, but I couldn't risk it.

I took many years of Spanish class growing up, so...

"You can call me Topacio." I said with a cordial nod, and Alice laughed in relief.

"Thank you so much, sweetie!" she said happily before rushing off into the opposite direction.

I smiled to myself and got on my bike before going home.

"Evening, Toni." FP, the manager of the Whyte Wyrm, said from behind the bar, "Feeling better, I hope." the older man said, and I smiled before moving behind the bar to hug him.

He was like a dad to me, and I grew up with Jughead, and his little sister, Jellybean, so they were like siblings to me. Other than that, I had no family, considering the fact that my mom walked out after I was born, and my dad died when I was four.

"I'm fine now, FP." I sighed, "How's the Wyrm been without me?" I asked nonchalantly, taking a cloth from the counter beside me to wipe the bar up.

"It's been fine," he shrugged, "but yesterday, some Ghoulies came in, talking about some mutant serpent," he chuckled as he poured some tequila from the bottle, into a shot glass for some serpent. "I guess it scared them, because now they're throwing us apologies, offering to take jobs for us." he laughed.

"That's interesting..." I smirked before leaning against the counter.

I'll admit, it was cool to know that I influenced those guys into turning over a new leaf with us. I'll admit another thing; helping that Alice woman tonight was an amazing boost in my confidence.

"Oh, and Jellybean said she doesn't wanna watch Yoshi anymore, so he's up in your apartment again." he exhaled for a minute before looking at me with that same teasing smile he always gave me. "Who was the woman who called me to say you were sick?" he asked with a smirk, "Girlfriend?" he asked, and I shrugged with the shake of my head.

"It's more passion and lust than love as of right now, actually." I chuckled, causing him to raise a brow.

"You're having sex with her, and she cares enough to nurse you back to health?" he asked, "That's a keeper, Topaz." he advised, and I chuckled.

"No, it's not like that." I assured, "I work for her family, and we've known each other for a while, so she helped me get out of a situation where her family might fire me." I excused.

"Toni, we both know you're not stupid." FP Jones scolded, "I'm sure you're trying to avoid her, as you did with Betty." he reminded, and I groaned.

"This has nothing to do with her, FP, I promise." I said, dreading this conversation.

"Well, then maybe it has to do with Veronica then? How she turned around and stole her out from under you." he recalled.

"I'm going to bed." I groaned before rounding the counter again, grabbing my milk and walking upstairs.

Betty was my highschool girlfriend. She was as smart as I was, and her family was steady, her dad and sister really loved her. She worked on cars, and wrote, and she was the perfect girlfriend. Until I realized that she was in love with Jughead, who's Asexual, and told me as soon as she tried to go behind my back to tell him how she felt.

Veronica was my best friend, whom I met in some stupid Youth LGBT group in uptown Riverdale after I graduated. We hooked up a lot during the time we knew each other, until I decided to leave our casual relationship to mend things with Betty.

Veronica didn't like that, so she managed to get close to Betty. They've been together ever since. 

I don't have perfect confirmation that Veronica purposely took Betty from me, but I just have a feeling.

I'm not in love with Betty anymore, I'm well over her, but that doesn't change the fact that she broke my heart too many times for me to trust people like that again.

When your best friend is someone who doesn't care about romance and sex, it's easy not to become insecure around him, so I know it would be different if I were to actually engage with Cheryl.

But it's just easier to stay away from people in order to avoid pain altogether.

Though I have been thinking about this a lot lately, the fact that Cheryl and I both have this one huge thing in common, the fact that I could never see Cheryl leaving me for anyone else.

In all honesty, I couldn't picture myself with anyone unless it would be Cheryl.

And it hurts to see Cheryl with anyone, if it isn't me.

Once I got to my apartment, I put the milk away and fed Yoshi before laying down on the couch to cuddle with the little brown Chihuahua, until around one in the morning when someone knocked on my door. I got up and opened the door, revealing a grinning FP, who stood in front of a beautiful redheaded beauty.

"You have a friend who's asked to see you." he stepped aside, allowing me to look into Cheryl's doe brown eyes.

"Thanks, FP." I commended to the man who waved it off before walking back down stairs to deal with the bar patrons. "What are you doing here?" I asked, opening the door to let the woman into my small dwelling, causing my dog, Yoshi to bark.

"I had no idea you had pets." Cheryl mumbled, cautious of the barking canine.

"Yeah, I found him as a stray last year," I said, sitting down to ease his nerves. "I couldn't just let him starve, or freeze."

"How very kind of you." she said in slight discomfort as she sat in a chair across from the couch I was sitting on.

"Not a dog person?" I asked, and she shook her head.

"I'm definitely more of a cat person, in all honesty."

"Well, you'll like him," I laughed, "Anyway, what's up? How'd you know where to find me?" I asked.

"Well, I recall you mentioning that you live above the Whyte Wyrm, so I googled it and drove here." She admitted.

"You drove all the way to the South Side? For what, exactly?" I queried.

"Well, my friend next door, Chic, said that his mom was just aided in a purse snatching by a short woman who glows pink." she said skeptically.

"Ugh, I tried to hide the pink from her." I groaned, and Cheryl sighed.

"Look, Toni, I get that you like to help people, but you have to hide yourself better. I was sure she'd seen your face, and in RIverdale, the last thing we need is for everyone to know they're being helped by a serpent." she scolded.

"What's wrong with the fact that I'm a serpent?" I asked, slightly offended.

"Nothing!" she defended before moving from her chair, to the couch, right by my side. "And I know that, but that doesn't mean everyone else does, TT." She assured, holding my forearm in her hands as she looked me in the eyes with those unfortunately perfect doe eyes. "You and your serpents pride yourself on the fear you strike in people, so to keep your family safe. This may strike fear into citizens if they think you're from something they perceive as evil." she reminded.

How could I argue that? It's impossible.

"What am I gonna do?" I asked, and she chuckled.

"Topacio?" she asked with a laugh, "It's obvious you don't want them knowing your real name, isn't it?" she joked.

"Hey, the name stays." I demanded.

"Everyone's gonna think you're a Mexican Wrestler."

...

Cheryl and I spent that entire night in my apartment, talking and laughing, strategizing on what we were gonna do. I couldn't just run around in a hood and push people around, could I? Eventually, Cheryl called some personal stylist, asking for what she called a halloween costume.

I guess it was the right time, considering the holiday was just a week away.

And we changed my name, much to my dismay.

Well, frankly, I never changed my name.

That woman whom I told my name to obviously liked it just as much as Cheryl did, because in a newspaper article she wrote (turns out she works as a head editor at the Riverdale Register, the news center for the city), she called me something completely different.

"Violet Voltage Valiantly Saves Citizen from Vexious Snatching."

"I'd say it's more... magenta than Violet, but okay." I mumbled to myself, and Clifford looked up from the paper.

"I'm sorry?" he said from the other side of the table.

"Nothing sir, I was merely saying that I prefer the color Magenta over Violet." I chuckled as the man disregarded my words before drinking his coffee.

"Well, I think this woman is being ridiculous, and Riverdale does not need some... vigilante running around and throwing off its balance." he persisted, and I didn't say anything, because I was too busy looking past him at Cheryl, who walked downstairs after her shower, much like the routine used to be like.

"There is no balance in Riverdale, daddy." Cheryl argued as she grabbed her muffin and began pouring her almond milk into a glass. "The rich only stay rich if they engage in illegal activity, and the good people are at risk of becoming the next name on the Registry's obituary." she explained.

"Okay, well it's balanced for me." he countered.

"Until crime no longer pays." she mumbled, and immediately, Clifford dropped his fist to the table violently, catching both Rose and I off guard.

"That's enough!" he called sternly, before standing up and storming out of the dining room.

"You always set things off, Cheryl. Like a ticking time bomb." Penelope said calmly from where she ate her cross fish eggs.

"Whatever mother." she mumble before taking a seat at the breakfast bar and eating there.

Since Clifford and Penelope were back, they didn't need me past the usual time, which was two in the afternoon, so after leaving Rose's room to leave, I was pulled into the doorway of Cheryl's room by the girl herself. She slammed her door closed, and pushed me against it, then her lips against mine.

I remember trying not to make any noise, and I remember feeling the chill of my veins glowing as she ground her thigh into my center between my thighs. She pulled away, and I watched her eyes, the way the near black of her irises reflected the glow of my pink ones. She had that look again, the look of wonder in her eyes as she reached up to touch my lip with her thumb again. She brought her hands down and held both of mine in them, then brought them up to kiss my knuckles.

I smiled at the way my heart swelled in my chest, ecstatic to feel her against me.

"I have feelings for you," she mumbled against my hands, and I nodded.

"Me too." I promised, "But is it really safe, you being with me?" I asked.

"Why wouldn't it be?" she countered.

"Well, your parents are homophobic, and they employed me, so they can control a lot of my fate. Not to mention the fact that we were already approached once together in a hostile way, but as this whole Violet Voltage thing gets out, it's gonna get worse." I explained as I brought my lips to her hands softly.

"This isn't some sad, low budget Spiderman, Toni. Nobody's gonna recognize you, I promise." she assured, "Not with the uniform I'm getting designed for you." she smirked.


	4. Three

"I look ridiculous." I muttered to myself as I looked at the leather surrounding my midriff.

"Nonsense, Toni!" Cheryl dramaticized as she pinched the skin-tight material of my suit. "This suits you perfectly." she insisted, craning her neck around my body to observe the way it fit all around.

Or maybe to observe the way it stretched around my rear. Either way, I certainly had nothing to complain about.

"Cheryl, I look like the purple power ranger." I pointed out, and she shook her head.

"There's no such thing as a purple power ranger." Cheryl recalled.

"There is now." I stressed, and she rolled her eyes.

"Just turn around and look at yourself in the mirror." I did as she asked, and observed the way the leather accentuated the grooves of my muscles, both in my legs and arms, as well as my abdomen. It was a bright, electric purple that, so light it almost looked pink. It matched my hair when it glowed. The inside of the leather was lined with spandex, so to ensure comfort, as well as accomodation to the stretch of my body. It didn't have a letter like superman, or a symbol like batman or spiderman, only a purple neckline that plunged down my chest in the form of the letter V.

"You can definitely see everything." I exhaled, trying to pull the neckline up over my cleavage, to no avail.

"I designed it, Toni. What else did you expect?" she chuckled, and my eyes widened.

"You designed this?" I asked, amazed.

Sure, it doesn't look good on me, but that didn't mean I hated it.

"Yes..?" Cheryl trailed, a perfectly sculpted brow lifting from its line. "I drew up a design and sent it to my tailor, and she made it happen." she shrugged.

"Can I see your designs?"

After about an hour of looking through Cheryl's designs, I exhaled, closing one of the many books and setting it upon Cheryl's bed beside me.

"You're incredibly talented." I insisted, and she chuckled.

"I would hope so, considering I've been working for designers for years." she teased, causing me to take my own turn raising a brow.

"Why wasn't I aware of this?" I asked skeptically, and she shrugged.

"I don't get recognized for anything, so what's the point in begging for it if you know it isn't gonna happen?" Cheryl sighed in a tone that told me she was ready to give up.

"Hey," I said softly, laying my hand upon hers where it sit on her knee. "It's important that you understand how important your work is. You deserve to be recognized." I assured, and she looked up from our hands, meeting my eyes with a tenderness that I've never seen from the redhead before.

"How?" she asked, a hushed tone in her voice as she fought down her emotions in this instance.

"You have money," I shook my head for emphasis, "open up your own dress shop, do your own designs and have people give you a vision that you can adapt into something they'll want." I suggested, "Take control of your life before you fall into some illegal Riverdale thing." I encouraged, causing her to smile softly.

"Only if you do the same." she conditioned, "Take control of RIverdale before the evil consumes it." she demanded as she took my hand to kiss it. "We need a hero like you, Toni."

...

This inspired me, in all honesty, and it wasn't just because it was Cheryl who challenged me. Though she obviously played a huge part in that, I'll happily admit to anyone except her.

Now, I was roaming the streets in my costume, paired with a purple bandana that so perfectly covered my face completely, aside from my eyes, which would obscure the rest of my face once they light up. In downtown Riverdale on a Saturday at eleven at night was the perfect setting to find a good practice dummy for my training. I decided I would start scoping out the city by standing atop one of our signature Riverdale Skyscrapers as a perch. I did so, and I watched with enhanced vision as a figure in a black sweater walked down the street, after a black haired man with a muscular build. I felt my eyes buzz in my skull, which has been happening lately at the slightest danger nearby.

I discovered that when someone started a fight in the Whyte Wyrm and I started to short circuit.

From my apartment.

I didn't even know the fight happened until I snuck out the window and ran into the bar, bright hair and bright eyes very visible. Just showing up broke up the fight, and when the fight was over, I had to run out because the lights in my eyes started to fade.

It's hard to identify a face when there are two bright lights in the middle of the face.

I noticed the hooded figure simply walked past the man, and contemplated walking away until I noticed the person pull a gun from their pocket.

He pointed it to the back of the man's head as he walked away, and I jumped off the building, landing onto the ground just behind the man who was walking away from the gunman.

"What the-" the black haired man was cut off by the sound of a gun going off.

It bounced off of the back of my head, and I turned around, to be met with the wide-eyed man, who now held the gun in a trembling grip as he gazed upon the glowing pink eyes and hair I possessed.

"Who are you, lady?" asked the man behind me in a whispered tone.

"Shh." I hushed loudly, trying to see through the dark, beneath the hood. "Hey," I said louder, to the gunman, my hands up in surrender. "I'm not gonna hurt you." I promised, "Just put the gun down, and I'll take you in." I warned, then the man dropped the gun, then spun around to dart away. "Stay here, and call nine-one-one." I said seriously to the victim before kicking off the ground to begin a quick sprint that landed me in front of him to the point that he ran into me, then fell to the floor at the impact. I shook my head before lifting the intruder up effortlessly and dragging him back toward where he'd run from.

"What the hell just happened?" asked the strong figured man once I had braced the hooded man against the wall.

"He tried to shoot you, numb nuts." I rolled my eyes before unhooding the man. He had green eyes and brown hair, cut scraggly, as was his beard. "Do you know this man, sir?" I asked of the black haired lad, who shook his head.

"I-I mean, I meet a lot of people." He shrugged. "I can't tell you if I do or not." He was really trying to look me in the eyes, despite the blinding light. "I-I'm sorry, I just... I'm not used to seeing..." he trailed off, unsure on how to word his fascination.

"Aliens?" I asked, causing his eyes to widened.

"You're an alien?" he asked, his voice a heavy whisper as he looked around suspiciously, and I chuckled.

It reminded me of when I tell straight white women I'm a lesbian.

"No," I laughed, "I'm Voltage." I rolled my eyes at the name, but he seemed impressed.

"Sweet," he laughed, "I'm Fangs." he nodded courteously.

"Maybe we shouldn't be exchanging our names in front of a guy who just tried to kill you." I suggested, and he shrugged.

"I'm not scared, I'm gonna be a serpent, so I'll be fine." he insisted.

So this is the new guy we're supposed to recruit next week.

 

I heard sirens in the distance, and I smiled generously.

"I must be going, Fangs. Can you hold him until the cops pull up? I'm not trying to get questioned." I chuckled, to which he obliged.

The rest of the night was filled with me catching purse snatchers and stopping potential muggings, until I saw something particularly sketchy in an alleyway.

I saw two women walking very quickly, hand in hand as they looked back to see a group of seven men, all loud and rowdy, following them, saying things that obviously made them uncomfortable. All anyone could see was the same as what I could see in my reflection against the mirror of the skyscraper on the other side of the alleyway. I was just a silhouette with glowing pink/purple eyes and bright, glowing hair of the same color.

Scary.

"Why you runnin'?" asked one man from the group.

"Please, w-we were just heading home." asked one girl.

"Why not go home with us?" asked a larger man. "We'd even pay you." he chuckled darkly.

"Look," said the other girl, her voice more stern than the one she shielded with her body. "We're not interested in becoming your hookers, man." she bit harshly. "Leave us the fuck alone." she finished.

"Whether you're interested or not, we're gonna do what we want." chuckled the first man. "It's just so much easier when we get the girls to cooperate." he clicked his tongue with the shake of his head before approaching the girls. He placed his finger under the bolder one's chin and moved closely to her face. I couldn't head what he said, but it caused her to spit in his face.

Bad idea.

He slapped her, causing her to reel back with a loud cry.

Time for me to jump down again.

I've done it so many times tonight that it's starting to feel like a signature thing for me.

I did so, and it caused everyone to jump back in a start.

"You guys should leave." I said calmly, standing in a reasonable stance, my hands on my hips, my foot out to indicate my thinning patience.

"What are you supposed to be?" laughed the man who slapped the girl behind me, "The purple power ranger?" he asked. "Halloween isn't for a few more days, sweetie." he added as his friends all laughed.

He pulled out a switchblade as he walked closer to me. He brought the blade against my throat with a calmness that would've scared me, were I not bulletproof.

"You should leave." he growled lowly, swiping the knife against my skin softly, so to intimidate me.

"You won't kill me." I chuckled, and he did the same, so to laugh over me.

"You obviously don't know me." he assured.

"Do it, pussy." I whispered, "I dare you."

He laughed lastly, then plunged the knife into my stomach.

I bend over with a loud, very fake groan, and listened as one of the girls behind me screamed at what she thought was my injury.

He chuckled, yet again before pulling the knife from where my stomach was and looked at the blade. His eyes widened when he didn't see any blood. I looked up, and blinked, willing my eyes to light up.

He stumbled back, along with his friends, just watching my hair and eyes as they slowly lit up more brightly as I breathed the adrenaline into my lungs.

"You're really cute." I laughed lowly as I flashed my leather clad midriff, which was completely unmarked.

I have no idea where one would go to purchase rip proof leather.

All my leather usually falls apart at the most inconvenient times.

"What the hell are you?" asked one man from behind the leader of this group.

"God, can't Voltage become a household name already so I don't have to keep introducing myself?" I sighed sarcastically before walking closer to the group of people. "How about you walk away now so you won't have to hear my name from behind prison bars?" I asked, and some began to walk away until the same man who tried to kill me spoke up.

"I bet it's just special effects," he said, taking the arm of one of his henchmen to keep them from walking away. "She's bullshitting." he swore. "Nimble little female ain't gonna do shit." he laughed.

"Dude, you stabbed her and she's fine." someone insisted behind him.

"She's probably wearing some armor or some shit for halloween."

I laughed, and reached forward to take his knife out of his hand before he could even breathe. He reeled back slightly when he saw I suddenly had his weapon. I took the blade between my thumb and middle finger on the same hand, and used my first finger to snap it, like a toothpick. His eyes widened again.

"You have two options, kid." I sighed as I walked around the group of men, who all turned, eyes latched on me. "You can leave now, live out a few more days before I catch you doing something else stupid, or you can stay here and get arrested in about..." I looked at my watch, "Five minutes." I finished.

Everyone looked amongst each other, and I laughed before flinching toward them, causing them to all scatter. I sighed before turning to the brunette and redhead.

"You two okay?" I asked, and both simply looked at me in awe.

"I read about you in the register!" Said the brunette. "I just pictured you to be taller." She said, slightly disappointed, and I chuckled.

"Well, if you don't mind," I sighed, "I have to go capture seven prostitution recruiters." I said, saluting them before jumping off the ground, up to the balcony of the apartment building beside us. I jumped from there to the top of the roof and ran as fast as I could, jumping from rooftop to rooftop to chase after the feeling men.

It didn't take much time at all, really, to capture the first two people.

I ran back to the scene as fast as I could while holding two thrashing bodies and dumped them off where the police were standing, taping up the scene, despite the fact that nothing had really happened.

"Over there!" Shouted the blonde from where she sat in the back of an ambulance. They both tried to get up as a police officer rushed toward me, so I kicked one in the stomach to keep him down before running off. I repeated this process with the last four in the next ten minutes, trying to steer clear of the police once they noticed what I was doing.

The last one, the one who actually tried to hurt me, however, was nowhere to be seen.

Unfortunately in the dark, I never got a glimpse of his face.

I stayed out for another hour searching for the man, but he was nowhere to be seen.

I eventually gave up and ran home to catch up on some sleep before work in the morning. Sleeping has come much easier to me now as well, and I'm not sure if it's the drugs, or if it's because I'm exerting myself more throughout the day, but it's definitely a good thing.

The next morning on my way to Thornhill, I drove through the middle of town, and I noticed on the screens, pictures of me. I grinned, despite the fact that I had never seen these pictures before, but I wasn't worried.

The signs painted me as a hero, and everyone who looked at the pictures looked up in awe.

What else could I ask for?

It definitely wasn't for my eyes to flicker while I was in public. I quickly turned into an alley before hiding behind a dumpster and throwing on the costume. I climbed up the building and looked around, awaiting the flicker to happen again. I swiftly jumped from roof to roof, silently scoping out the morning air when....

"Maybe you should!" Screamed somebody from within an apartment building, and I stopped.

"Look, I'm sorry!" Yelled a man, his voice less raging than the woman.

"I want this plate clean! Spotless, Scott!" Shouted the woman, "Or you'll get what you got last time you disobeyed me."

Well, weird kinks were definitely not what caused the spark.

This didn't feel like that.

Especially not when I heard something glass break very loudly. My eyes flicked on completely, and I slowly lowered myself into the window.

"What the fuck are you doing in my house?" Screamed the woman loudly, causing me to throw my hands up im defense.

"I heard some screaming, and a loud noise, I just wanted to make sure everybody's okay." I told, looking between the woman, who was on edge, then to the man, who just looked confused. Behind him on the floor was the remains of a lamp, shattered into a hundred pieces.

"We're fine." She insisted, fixing her greying hair slightly as she adjusted her stance to something less defensive. "Now leave before I call the police."

"Barbara, she is the police." The middle aged man said timidly. "I saw her on the billboards downtown. She's a hero!" He laughed before catching my eye. "Consider me a supporter, Voltage." He grinned. I couldn't help the smile in my eyes and the ache of my heart.

Someone recognized me, and knew my name. How amazing.

"Either way, I don't need you in here. Go back to saving cats from trees and beating up muggers." She growled.

God, it's so hard being a good person when people like her exist.

"I just need to check in on your husband, ma'am." I said before approaching him. "You okay, sir?" I whispered, and he sighed with a nod.

"When you've been married for twenty five years, energy gets pent up." He chuckled. "She'll be back under my arm in an hour." He winked. "Now get back to your job. People need you."

I smiled at him before walking backwards toward the window. I walked back into the fire escape, and then I did a backflip off, landing on the ground below.

I looked up to see the couple, the man waving at me with a bright smile.

I know that when he told me to get back to work, he meant as Voltage, but I had to get to Thornhill.

"You're late, Topaz." Clifford boomed from his front door as I parked my bike.

"With all due respect, I'm twenty minutes early, Mister Blossom." I countered as I put my helmet on the bike.

"You're usually thirty minutes early, therefore, you're late." He retorted. "Don't get it in your head that because you've worked here for two years, you're suddenly irreplaceable." he warned, "There are hundreds of people who are exactly like you."

Somehow I doubt that.

"Yes, of course sir, I'll never let it happen again. I apologize." I finished, and he stepped aside for me to walk in for work.

The day went by the same as always, even with Cheryl.

Until her parents left, that is.

Cheryl moved closer to me at the breakfast table as soon as their car's engine was out of earshot. She took my hand beneath the table before pulling her cell phone from her pocket.

"Did you see Voltage?" She asked, "It's all over Twitter."

"What is?" I queried suspiciously.

She flashed the screen of her phone, which showed her feed, flooded with pictures, videos and tweets of me. She clicked on one, and it was a video of me, running across rooftops at night.

Last night.

"I didn't even think someone would be looking up like that." I mumbled, and she shrugged.

"What is this... Voltage you speak of?" Rose asked around her blueberries.

"This new vigilante who's been going around, stopping crimes." Cheryl grinned excitedly, looking at me through the side of her eye.

"Is it hurting anybody? I remember when we had a black hooded vigilante. He killed people, and I'm unsure on if history will repeat itself." she warned.

"Voltage has never killed anyone. She's amazing and kind hearted." Cheryl gushed, winking at me softly.

"How do you know what her intentions are, Cheryl?" Rose asked, "I think you're just blinded by your crush."

I snorted at Cheryl's eyeroll.

"I just know, Nana. Trust me." she assured as she moved her hand off the table to hold mine.

The day went as it usually did, and by the time my shift was over, Cheryl ran downstairs before I could open the door to leave. She stopped in front of me and pulled me against her so she could kiss me. She immediately latched her lips to mine, and stroked her tongue against mine with a franticness that aroused me gravely. Her hands slid from my waist, down to my backside where she palmed the flesh, leaning me back against the door.

My heart began to beat loudly, and I felt my eyes flicker, so I pulled away breathlessly.

She looked down at me with a smile as she caught her breath.

"I have a crush on you too, just so you know." I teased, and Cheryl laughed, tucking her head in the crook of my neck as she did so.

The next day was Halloween, so Cheryl spent most of the day up in her room, perfecting her makeup and putting her costume on to fit her perfectly.

She never even told me what she planned on dressing up as, so I had no idea what I was in store for.

Once I was ready to go home, I walked out, and again, I was met with Cheryl, sitting on my bike casually.

And boy, did she look amazing.

Red always looked good on her, without a doubt.

"You like?" Cheryl asked with a smirk as she dismounted the bike and turned to flash me her rear end, which was clad in shiny red leather.

"I really really like." I emphasised, and she grinned.

"Now we match." she assured.

She was dressed as the red Power Ranger. Of course she wasn't going to cover her beautiful face with some ugly helmet, but the outfit was there. It was obviously hand made, and it had the same exact design as my own suit, only with red in the place of purple. She wore black combat boots, and she had a black mask that only covered her eyes.

"I'm not dressing up for Halloween." I insisted, and she laughed.

"You're definitely dressing up." she countered before sauntering to me purposefully. She placed her gloved hands on my waist before kissing my lips softly. She trailed her red lips down my jaw, then to my neck. I moaned softly, dropping my head back so she could get a better reach. "I need my partner in crime," She trailed her tongue upwards, until she bit my earlobe. "Miss Violet Voltage." she accentuated her words, and I shuddered.

She obviously got her way this time.


	5. 4

"What are you, like, power rangers, or something?" asked the host of the party, some rich kid from Cheryl's high school called Reggie.

"It's Voltage, idiot." corrected a shrill voice from behind him, before the voice showed a face, which happened to be a short, brown skinned girl with cat ears in cheetah print. "Couple's costume?" she asked with a grin, "Amazing idea." Cheryl simply cocked her hip to the side, causing Reggie to follow it with his eyes.

"Can we come in or not?" Cheryl snarked, causing Reggie to step aside for us to walk in.

"You don't think people will recognize me?" I whispered over the music, through the bandana and Cheryl simply shrugged.

"Toni, everyone's too busy trying to have sex and getting high on bathsalts to even care about what you look like." Cheryl assured. "Especially not with your... lack of vertical inclination." she shaded, her eyes raking my body slowly.

"I resent that statement." I pouted, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Either way, the big giveaway is your hair and eyes. Just don't get too excited." She smirked before taking my hands and swimming through the sea of sweaty bodies toward the kitchen. "Let's get you a drink, loosen up." Cheryl suggested, causing me to roll my eyes.

"I can't drink, what if something happens?" I asked. "Besides, I brought my bike, and it's already dangerous enough in Riverdale while sober."

"Fine." Cheryl pouted changing route to the large front room where she took my hands, attempting to dance with me.

"I don't dance." I laughed loudly over the music.

"Nonsense!" Cheryl grinned, her eyes filled with mischief as she pulled me closer and put her hands on my waist. The song that faded into the room was some EDM club song that had been playing on the radio, and the way her hips moved from side to side matched perfectly with the rhythm, and I felt my body moving with hers in perfect, steady syncopation. She moved my hands from between us and pulled them up so my wrists rested on her shoulders. "Don't be shy," she said kindly, her eyes embracing mine with an intimacy that made me forget the people surrounding us. She stepped closer to me, allowing me to wrap my arms around her neck to the point that I could interlock my fingers. She leaned down to whisper in my ear, "Let the music carry us away." it was sultry, and my skin buzzed as she moved down to kiss my neck.

I moaned against her softly, letting the music do just as she told.

My head soared, and even without alcohol, I was intoxicated.

Drunk and stumbling around in Cheryl's deep pools of brown.

High on the smell of her perfume.

Buzzed on the taste of her tongue.

I was stuck in the euphoria of her touch against my body.

"This is a dream." Cheryl spoke breathily over the sexy R&B music we swayed to in a sultry way, and I hummed.

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"Who wouldn't want to spend their Halloween dancing against the person they care about?" she asked rhetorically. "It's celestial." she mumbled, her eyes scanning my mostly covered face before she moved her hand up to pull down my bandana, just so she could see my lips.

She leaned in to kiss me, her tongue exploring the roof of my mouth as she hummed against me, her body against mine in the most soft, comfortable way.

"You're stunning." I whispered once she pulled away, and she chuckled, her head shaking as she leaned her forehead against mine. We were barely swaying now, just resting against each other and revelling in each other's touch, something we never got to do, considering the fact that her parents were always around in one way or another.

"Let's get out of here." Cheryl whispered, moving her head against mine, her breath shallow and ragged as another very sultry song flooded into the room.

"Let's dance to this song first." I uttered, her own breath just as heavy and shallow. She pulled away and looked at me with hooded eyes, and nodded ever so slowly before taking one of my hands and spinning me around so my back was against her. She held my right hand with her left, our arms stretching across my body as I rocked against her to the beat. Her right hand gripped my waist, and she rested her lips in the crook of my neck, moving them against the flesh as she pulled my hips closer against hers.

I felt my thighs flood, and my body tremble against her, my eyes yearning to flicker, but being willed away when I closed them in defense.

"I want you, Toni." Cheryl whispered against my ear, her right hand moving toward my lower stomach, nails toying with the leather of my uniform as she nibbled on the skin of my neck. I stopped, and turned around to meet Cheryl's eyes deeply, noting the way her pupils were blown, as well as the way her lids hooded her eyes.

"Let's go, Cheryl." I exhaled, causing her to take my hand immediately, dragging me through the house toward the door.

It was hard to get out, because there were people flooding in, including a very tall, middle-aged man.

My chest lurched in the way it usually does around danger when I saw him. I stopped Cheryl's movement with my hand, tugging her back toward me when my eyes flickered. I pulled the bandana back over my face when my eyes flicked themselves on, and my hair began to glow. Quickly, I pulled Cheryl back through the crowd as the tall man walked in the opposite direction. 

"What's going on?" CHeryl asked in confusion over the music.

"I can feel the danger."I whispered and just as my statement was finished, a loud bang sound emanated around the house, causing many people to gasp, and scream.

The music stopped almost immediately, and people started to panic.

"Nobody move!" screamed a man with a deep, booming voice from the kitchen area. "I want everybody on the ground, now!" he called, causing everyone to duck, and sit, and do as he ordered.

"Get down." I whispered to my companion, who did as she was told, slowly and with dignity. "I'm looking for Cheryl Blossom." he said with a calmness, and my eyes widened, my head not daring to turn to her as others' had. "Where is she?" he asked, and I watched as someone's hand went up, finger pointing in our direction.

Something in me darted up my spine, causing me to stand up, blinding anyone from Cheryl. I watched the dark room light up a pink/purple as the light from my eyes and hair brightened. Everyone gasped collectively as they saw me.

"Who's asking?" I said, my voice taking a heavy edge as I stepped forward, distancing myself from Cheryl, who managed to tuck herself behind the couch that was pressed against a wall in the back of the front room.

"Doesn't matter, Lava Girl." he tried, and I chuckled as I walked around a few scared partygoers.

"That's seriously the best insult you can come up with?" I asked, and his bushy brows scrunched together.

"You think this is a game, child?" he asked.

"You think I care?" I chuckled, "I think you should just leave, before somebody gets hurt." I said casually, looking down at my nails casually. He pointed the gun at me, and I smirked as he shot off the gun and the bullet bounced off of me, letting out a "bink" sound as it fell to the floor. Everyone gasped, and I could hear muffled sobs. I laughed loudly, before kicking off the floor and running so that I was directly behind him. I figured that he wouldn't be afraid to hurt anyone at this party, considering the fact that he was willing to kill me. His eyes widened when he actually looked at me, likely noticing that I wasn't just in some costume. I put my hand out, palm up, so to signal him to give me his gun. "I think you made a mistake," I said innocently, cocking my head to the side patronizingly, "when I said that someone was gonna get hurt, I was implying that "someone" is you." I explained, "Hand me the gun." I whispered, and he scoffed, before shifting his aim to Reggie, who sat right beside where we stood.

"Here's how this is gonna go;" began the intruder, "You're going to fish Cheryl out of these pathetic people, or I'm going to shoot this boy." I cackled at his words, causing him to look at me as though I'm crazy. "I am holding a gun to his head and you're gonna do what I say if you don't want anyone's blood on your hands.

"Yeah, I don't think you know how I roll, bro." I said nonchalantly. "See, I'm not really one to bargain," I shrugged, before leaning forward and taking the gun from his hand before he could even blink. He looked at his palms, as though lost. He looked up to see my gloved hand holding the gun between my fingertips, my eyes looking between him and the weapon. "You're silly." I chuckled with the shake of my head as I turned the safety on and began to twirl the weapon around my finger from where the trigger is. "Now," I said loudly, causing him to flinch, "are you ready to walk away?" I asked, and slowly, he began to walk toward the door. I followed him toward it, and when the door opened, the wail of a siren swelled as it got closer to us. The man moved to run, but I surged forward and grabbed him by the shirt before forcing him toward the street where the police pulled up.

Once tall, red headed police officer got out of a squad car before coming up toward me.

"We got a noise complaint, ma'am." he said, less than casually as he looked at me with an unsettled expression.

"I took care of it," I shrugged, "partygoers were harassed by this man," I explained before pushing him forward, causing him to grunt. "And this gun." I held the weapon by the barrel and passed it off to him.

"Everyone is okay?" He asked, and I nodded.

"Everyone is just fine." I assured, "Everyone flooded out when I got the weapon from him." I assured, and he nodded.

"Thank you, Voltage." The officer said as he took the brute from me and cuffed him.

"Anytime." I smiled before running around the corner in a blur. I ran behind the block and jumped the fence so I could get back into the house by the backyard. Everyone was still sitting silently in the front room, now staring at me as I walked back in.

"Cops came," I exhaled, helping Reggie up, indicating everyone could get up, "took him away." I explained. "You should probably shut it down, because he originally came due to a noise complaint. I told him that you all left."

"Thanks, man." he chuckled nervously, putting his hand out to shake mine.

"Just make sure everyone gets home safe," I requested, "Halloween always has the most violent crime, and I'm trying to avoid that." I nodded in confirmation.

"Of course." He sighed. "Go home!" he shouted, causing everyone to groan as they collected their belonging and slowly trickled out. I sighed and grabbed Cheryl before walking out.

"That was interesting." Cheryl exhaled.

"I know man, what a cock block." I jested, causing Cheryl to roll her eyes.

"I was talking about how you saved my life, again." she corrected, and I shrugged before taking Cheryl's hand in mine to hold as we walked. My hair and eyes dimmed to normal color as my heart calmed itself.

"The first time was to repay you for getting me out of that barn." I chuckled, "The second time was because I still wanna get laid."

"You joke around too much." Cheryl complained, and I laughed.

"So, what do you wanna do now?" I asked, "It's only eleven and your dad gave me the day off tomorrow." I grinned as I mounted my vehicle.

"Surprise me."

...

"The edge of Riverdale was always the most beautiful. I remember walking here after school when things were getting rough. It was where I felt at home." I sighed as we looked out onto the water, where boat lights shined on the water, like fireworks in the water. We were sitting on the roof of an eighty foot skyscraper, the last one before the city turned to beach.

"It's beautiful." Cheryl whispered, and I nodded.

"I agree." I whispered, letting my heart resonate with the way the full moon kissed the water with its reflection.

"I'm falling in love with you." Cheryl admitted out of nowhere, and my eyes widened before I turned to her. "Is that okay?" she queried, her eyes bashful as she looked down at our hands, which lay interlocked on the ledge we sat on.

"Of course it's okay." I said nervously. "I just haven't had anyone care about me in a long time." I exhaled honestly.

"I don't see how." Cheryl's voice was gruff as she spoke tenderly, meeting my eyes tensely. "You're amazing."

"Only because of that drug." I shook my head, causing her to scoff.

"Toni, I liked you for almost two years before those drugs. We kissed, and we had moments without them." she reminded, turning to me more fully, only her left leg dangling on the side of the building now. "You're amazing because of your heart, not because of some abilities you've obtained." she shook her head meaningfully, and my heart rose, like a feather flying with the whirl of the wind as it so softly brushed past the bad things in the world.

Because nothing else mattered at this point.

Just her.

"I'm falling for you too, Cheryl." I whispered, and she leaned in to kiss me with an intensity that made my head soar with my heart. I took her waist in one arm, and her cheek in another.

This is when I recalled that I had been working on something, a new ability I discovered when I tripped off a building while patrolling a few nights prior. 

 

"Do you trust me?" I asked in a breathy beat once we pulled away, and she looked at me in confusion before nodding hesitantly. I grinned, and held her body tightly before throwing my body to the side, sending us off the roof.

Cheryl screamed bloody murder as we fell down each story quickly, until about half way down when we caught wind, and began to soar.

"Toni!" Cheryl yelled in exhaustion as she looked around my, noting how we flew together. "You're flying!" she gasped excitedly.

"I am." I laughed, and she did the same before taking one of her arms and wrapping it around my head as we drifted through the air over the water, in front of the full moon at midnight. She kissed me, and I hovered for a moment, kissing the girl below me deeply.

This was the most romantic thing I could ever ask for.

Holding my Cheryl in my arms as we swiftly floated in the air, over a bright, firework body of water. We shadowed the moon that night, too invested in each other to care about what lie upon the streets of our beloved Riverdale.

This is what dreams were made of, honestly.


	6. 5

The next morning, I woke up on my bed, my arm wrapped tightly around what I obviously knew to be Cheryl. I opened my eyes and turned my head, to be met with the eyes of that girl, blinking at me.

"Good morning." Cheryl smiled, her voice gruff and laced with sleep.

"How are you still just as beautiful as always?" I asked with a hard grin.

"I was thinking the same thing." Cheryl quipped, her index finger toying with my bottom lip ever so softly. "Last night was the best Halloween I've ever had in my twenty three years on this planet." The heiress admitted.

"And you didn't need candy or drugs to do so." I joked.

"You're enough of a drug for me." Cheryl whispered, moving her arm up to wrap around my neck. "I have withdrawals without you, Toni." She said lightly, and I shook my head at her dramatics.

"Don't die then, because it'll be really hard to get your fix." I countered.

"I'll just wait for you to come back to me in heaven." She grinned.

"We're going to hell."

...

"How many people do you think are hungover right now?" I asked Cheryl, whose hand I held as we walked toward downtown together at around eleven in the morning.

"Definitely everyone at that party." The redhead chuckled. "Speaking of which," she recalled, her tone serious now, "why on earth was that oaf looking for me?" she asked, taking the time to ponder it.

"Maybe he's a friend of your dad's?" I suggested, to which Cheryl sighed.

"Obviously no friend. What if they look for me when I'm not lucky enough to have you by my side next time someone comes after me with a gun?" she asked, an edgy tone in her voice. I shook my head before stopping in my tracks and turning to her. I took her hands in mine and looked into her eyes deeply.

"I'm not gonna let that happen." I grinned, and she nodded before leaning in to press a kiss to my lips.

"Thanks for letting me borrow your clothes, by the way." Cheryl grinned after we pulled away, her hands gripping the bottom corners of my leather jacket and twirling in a circle to show me the outfit completely.

"You somehow look better in me clothes than I do." I jested, and she shook her head before taking my hand and tugging me down the street. We walked about another three blocks before we met with downtown. Cheryl stopped in the middle of the street when she noticed the billboard in the middle of town flashing a video of me from last night, facing the gunman. It was likely taken by one of the partygoers, considering the bad angle and Android picture quality.

"You're famous." Cheryl whispered, not bothering to look away from the board. I shook my head at her wonder, and I couldn't help but stare at her profile, the way it glazed against the sun beautifully. She stood so calmly, my jacket now tucked in the arm of hers that wasn't holding my hand securely.

"Cheryl?" I heard a familiar voice, and immediately, I released the redhead's hand. "Toni, what are you two doing out together?" Asked Penelope, Cheryl's mother, from across the street as she transitioned toward us.

"Hey, Mrs. Blossom. I left my favorite jacket at your house yesterday, so Cheryl offered to bring it to me today." I lied easily, and Cheryl turned to me before handing me the article of clothing.

"How did she get your phone number?" The older woman asked, and before I could say anything, Cheryl spoke up.

"She messaged me on Facebook." Cheryl lied easily. "I can't believe her name is Antoinette." she laughed, and I rose a brow at her. How did she know my first name, in all honesty.

"I see..." Penelope trailed off before sighing, "I must go. I'll see you tomorrow morning, Toni. Cheryl, why don't you come with me?" she requested, causing Cheryl to shake her head.

"I have a job interview today." she explained.

"Why on earth would you have one of those when we're rich?" she asked, nearly outraged at the idea of Cheryl getting a job.

"It's more to give myself discipline, Mother." she explained with the roll of her eyes. "I want to do more with myself than just lie around in my room all day, so I applied for a job with McCoy Fashion Industries."

"Very well..." Penelope sighed before turning around and walking away.

"Keep going straight and I'll turn the corner so Penelope doesn't look back and see us walking together." I suggested, and she sighed as I walked toward the turn. I walked between two buildings and began to run down the narrow gap between said buildings, spiking my adrenaline enough to let me jump atop one of the two skyscrapers. I ran across the roof and caught wind so I could fly just above the buildings. About two blocks down, I saw Cheryl turning down the street toward me, so I let myself land slowly in front of her, my hair quickly fizzling out.

"Good morning, Miz Blossom." I grinned as I wrapped my arms around her waist.

"Good morning to you, Voltage." she returned, letting her eyes close as she kissed me deeply, her tongue stroking mine playfully as she held my face.

"How did you know my first name?" I asked after pulling away, and she chuckled.

"You think I had a crush on you for two years without stalking you on Facebook?" she asked, and I groaned.

"I haven't used facebook in years." I laughed, before giving my jacket back to her.

We decided just to aimlessly walk around town originally, before we realized that it was hard not to get caught that way. Instead, we decided to spend our time at the library, collecting data and evidence, as well as research that may help me discover what was wrong with me. So far, I had nothing, but Cheryl could say the opposite when she came up to me with a printed piece of paper from a website called Sweetwater.com. It was all about the idea of a drug that was meant to cure any and all elements. The article she printed spoke about how this drug was meant for medical use, but the subjects tested, some old, dying lab rats, ended up mutating.

The signs were identical.

Super strength, glowing fur and eyes, heightened senses and superspeed.

"This stuff was just lying there on the front page of the website?" I asked, baffled at the access, and she shook her head as she sat beside me on the couch.

"The first page was a page to a boat rental place, but as I dug deeper, I realized that Sweetwater Rentals is definitely as cover up."

"Is there an address I can visit?" I asked, and she shrugged.

"On the front, there's an address to where the boardwalk is, but other than that, I'm not sure."

"Where is it?" I asked, and she shifted through the documents to find the information.

"Queens." She said simply, and I grinned at her mischievously.

"Ready to go for a ride?"

...

"This is not what I thought you meant when you asked me to go for a ride!" Cheryl shouted over the wind that hit us in the face as we flew so quickly toward our destination, and I chuckled to myself as I so quickly bolted through Brooklyn.

"I wasn't talking about my face." I said, my tone moderate, and she looked up from below me, where I held her.

"Is that an option for later though?" she asked, her tone shifting to something slightly more eager, and I laughed as we approached the coast of Queens. I sought out the boardwalk, and quickly began my descent downward. We landed on a stretch of a doc on the pier, and when I let Cheryl down, she exhaled while she fixed her hair and straightened out the jacket I allowed her to wear.

"I hate flying." she exhaled, and I chuckled before taking her hand and pulling her toward where the address told us to be. "You're really gonna walk around with me while you wear that suit?" she asked, and I shrugged.

"In Riverdale, no, but here, I don't really have to worry about anyone recognizing me."

"Yeah, but now, the internet exists. At least put the bandana on over your face." she insisted, and I sighed before reaching to my cleavage to grab the article of clothing.

"You couldn't have put pockets in this thing?" I complained as I tied the bandana around my face.

"The only way for you to fit anything in your pockets is to make the suit looser." Cheryl argued before turning to me, her eyes raking my body. "I would never do that to myself."

"You look so uninterested in sex, but in reality, you're worse than a twelve year old boy." I demeaned, and she shrugged.

"I have hormones too."

"Alright, this looks like it." I said as I looked up and was met with an old, creaky shack. The door read, "Sweetwater Rentals" in faded, chipped, red paint.

"What are you waiting for? Open the door." she probed, and I shrugged before pushing the wood open, causing it to creak.

"We're closed." Sounded a voice on the other side of the room. My eyes snapped toward the back corner of the empty room, where an older man with glasses sat in a computer chair.

"I'm not here to rent a boat." I said, my heart racing as I did so. The man looked up from his newspaper and his eyes rested slightly at the sight of me.

"Ah, you're exactly who I've been waiting for, Miz Topaz."

"How do you know who I am?" I asked, my heart lurching out of my chest as I walked closer toward him.

"One of my doctors worked on you." He divulged, "I employ every other doctor in Riverdale, and Doctor Wetherby is no acception."

"I thought he worked for daddy." Cheryl piped.

"Your father pays a considerable amount of money for his services because of the pathogen he was creating. However, this is an illegal project, and very dangerous, so I needed to be sure I had a trusted employee keeping me up to date on the progress of the Sweetwater."

"Wait wait wait," I exhaled upon processing his information, "did you just say, "Pathogen?" I asked, and he chuckled before standing up.

"Come with me," He asked as he opened a door in the back, next to his chair.

Cheryl and I exchanged looks before walking through the room toward the door.

Upon entering, we both looked around, and I immediately noted how there were rows upon rows of gigantic clear tubs, filled with the same transparent brown substance that I had almost drowned in.

"When I was young, I was in the Army. I went into the military, and I lost many of my close friends." He began as he instructed us to follow him into the highly advanced laboratory. "The main reason I even joined was for free college after my duty, so that I could go to school to become a science professor, for a university. After my fifth year in the Army, I had time to ponder what it would be like if all these soldiers were invincible. None of my friends would be dead if someone were to make that happen. So I decided to be that someone." he sighed as he stopped at a lab table that showed three cages, each with a single white rat inside. "I started on mice. I combined a liquid dopamine sample with the DNA of a rhino, as well as that of a sharp shinned hawk." He took one rat from its cage and put it inside of a tank, which contained a large snake. "It was meant to give the subject agility, strength and quick regeneration." The snake slowly began to circle the rodent with its body, as it was conditioned to do, causing the rat to squirm. "Unfortunately, there was an accident in the lab that I was unaware of, when an intern of mine dropped a series of unknown chemicals into the vat I had prepared." We watched as the red eyes of the rat changed, from its natural color to a vibrant purple, identical to mine. Its fur followed. "It was mass produced in a factory I had purchased in Riverdale, the computer calculating everything with acute precision. Once all two million gallons were produced, I tested it one last time on the rats." He said lastly, before the rat gnawed on the snake's scale, causing it to screech a deathly sound. It continued, until the snake stopped moving completely, releasing the rodent from its grip. "This is not what I wanted." he sighed.

"So it wasn't supposed to glow?" Cheryl asked, her tone obviously unamused.

"It was only supposed to be a performance enhancer... a steroid, if you will." he instanced. "Instead, a subject can fly, and run faster than anything I've everthe studied. Life expectancy for an average white rat is usually four years, at the very most. This rat has been alive since I injected him in nineteen eighty six." he sighed before reaching into the tank and putting him it a cage with another. "You're the only human who has ever been exposed to the chemical, so you're really the new lab rat." he divulged.

"Oh my god, they're mating." Cheryl stated before looking away in disgust.

"Increase in sex drives seems to be another symptom." he explain.

"Yup, I get that." I sighed before tilting my head to the side.   
"Does that mean I'm gonna outlast everyone? I'm not interested in watching everyone I love die, over and over again." I explained. It's not like I loved many people, but that didn't change anything really.

"Well, bald eagles mate for life, so it seems that must've somehow made its way through the chemical as well. His mate, Penny, has lived over these last thirty two years as well." he explained, and my first instinct was to look at Cheryl, who was already looking at me.

"I guess that's a good thing." I muttered.

"You won't age physically either." he added, and I nodded.

"Sweet." I said, distracted by the sight of Cheryl's eyes on me. "Does the mate's sex drive increase as well?" I asked.

"That seems to be accurate." he said, referring to the two animals in the cage.

"That explains it." Cheryl chuckled at me.

"I see you've already found your mate." He said awkwardly.

"Wait." I fell from my trance before looking to him. "She swam in the Sweetwater too, why isn't she a superhero too?"

The man, whose name we still didn't know, lifted up a clipboard from the table across from the one with the rats and read the paper.

"The report says you inhaled a considerable amount of the pathogen while trying to keep yourself afloat, and that you busted your head open, allowing the liquid to enter your bloodstream." he said as he skimmed the notes briefly. "Miz Blossom came up without a scratch." he explained.

"This is the one time I wish I was injured." Cheryl rolled her eyes before looking at me. "A queer, female crime fighting superhero duo?" she asked with a hint of excitement in her voice. "The exact kind of badass I live for." she smirked.

"What, being invincible isn't good enough?" I joked, but before Cheryl could say anything in response, the scientist cut her off.

"Actually, she isn't necessarily invincible." he interrupted. "Observe," he suggested as he picked up an empty syringe and brought his hand out, requesting me to give him my arm.

"Um, I'm not sure that's safe, to put air in my veins." I declared, and he scoffed.

"You're assuming I'll actually break the skin, Miz Topaz." he recalled, and I sighed before extending my arm. He dropped his hand down quickly, causing me to close my eyes and flinch slightly, only to feel a soft brush of something.

"Oh my God!" Gasped Cheryl, and my eyes snapped open, to be met with the same syringe, only with a broken needle.

"It broke..." I muttered, and he nodded, before grabbing another and taking a vile of something.

"This is just a saline solution; sterile water." he explained, "May I, Miz Blossom?" he asked, holding his arm out in the same way. Hesitantly, the redhead did as she was requested. She looked away and hissed slightly as the needle went into her skin. He pulled it out without actually pushing on the syringe. It was obviously just to make a point, not to inject her.

"As you see, Cheryl is not invisible. However, there is a hormonal chemical that bonds the two of you for as long as it is shared, so Cheryl will live, and at this age, as long as the chemical remains to bond you." he explained thoroughly.

"So you're saying..." Cheryl trailed off, unsure of the true meaning.

"If Toni falls out of love with you at any point in your life, you will age, and you will die the way you are genetically destined to. You can be killed, if unnaturally, but there is no way for you to catch a cancer, or to die of old age." he smiled, and Cheryl met my eyes in fear.

"Looks like I'll have a purpose beyond stopping party terrorists then, won't I?"

...

"Man, that was weird." I exhaled as we walked toward the pier again, ignoring the looks and pictures directed toward us from people surrounding. Cheryl looked away from them, so to hide her face as she nodded an affirmation.

"Yeah, did we even get his name?" she asked, and I laughed.

"No, I don't think we did."

"It's nice to know the things he told us though." she said optimistically, and I grinned.

"It's nice to know that I don't have to watch you become an old lady and die." I joked, and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I still liked the idea of being crime fighting girlfriends." she complained, and I stopped in my tracks, my heart leaping in my chest as the word rung around my head.

"Did you just call us girlfriends?" I asked giddily, and she blinked, before her own grin added itself to her visage.

"Oh my God, I did." she laughed, "Is that okay?" she asked, and I scoffed.

"Of course it is, dork." I teased, taking her by the edges of the jacket she wore and pulling her closer so I can kiss her softly.

"Mm," Cheryl moaned, her hands clasping my rear tightly as she stroked her tongue along my bottom lip. "I think I'm more affected by the heightened sex drive." she moaned against my mouth, and I snorted, causing her to pull away in a start.

"You're wrong, I promise you that." I said honestly. "If I wasn't immortal, I'd have carpal tunnel by now."

"Oh, God!" she snorted back.

"Come on, dork, let's go back home." I said, opening my arms to invite her to wrap around me.

"By home, you mean your home, right?" she asked, and I nodded.

It was a quick easy ride to my house, and I landed her safely on the roof of the Wyrm before grinning at her and moving, her legs still suspended around my waist, down to climb the side of the building. I climbed down with her between me and the building until I reached my window and pulled it open. I crawled inside easily and held her still until I moved to my bed, lowering her down to the mattress softly.

I grinned at her as I hovered over my girlfriend, looking at her deeply. I was leaning on my knuckles, which were on either side of her head.

"What do you say we relieve some of this tension?" I asked, my chest heaving, and she grinned.

"I'd love nothing more."

That was the only indication I needed to allow me to grab her hips and pull her further up onto my bed until she was on a pillow. I latched my lips to her neck and immediately began to kiss my way down her neck, my hands moving to remove the jacket with a quickness. My knee was between hers, and she moaned when I leaned forward, grinding my thigh into her sex. I trailed my lips down her collarbones, and reached my hands beneath her top, trickling my fingertips above her abdomen.

Suddenly, my eyes flickered, and I sat up in alarm as my hair immediately lit up. My body stood to attention as my heart raced.

"Toni?" she called, and I hushed her by putting my hand over her mouth. I could feel the danger in my very core as I walked closer to the door of my apartment. I opened it, and was met with the sight of a middle-aged hispanic man with good hair, in a suit.

"We know who you are." he said immediately, "Come with me, Voltage." he demanded, and I scoffed, the hostility in my veins something I couldn't help.

"I'd rather die than come with you."

My voice, it sounded different, deeper, considerably, more raspy. I didn't sound like me at all.

"Now, we both know we can't do that." he chuckled. "What's the worst we can do to you?" he asked, and I shuddered, the vibrations in my body too much to withstand.

"I don't care!" I screamed, and he put his hands up in defense.

"I just want to talk to you, I swear." he said, and I could feel him lying at my very core. Suddenly, something in me told me to turn around, and I saw a women dressed in black, sneaking into the window, headed toward the bed, where Cheryl lay, covered up between the bed and the wall so to hide. I slammed the door as quickly as possible and locked it, before flashing toward the woman. I grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the ground, causing her to thrash and gasp, her hands clawing at my skin, not making a mark at all. I moved my arm to the side, throwing her into the wall, causing her to let out a strangled cough.

"You tell whoever sent you that if you so much as pluck a hair on the heads of either Cheryl Blossom or the woman who lives here, I'll string both of you up by your intestines and put it on the Riverdale billboard for everybody to see." I breathed before walking toward the window and dropping her onto the fire escape. She took a moment to catch her breath, and I watched as she slowly suspended herself downward by the ladder.


	7. 6

“Why do you think they're after you?” I asked, my tone hushed as I held Cheryl against softly. 

“I have no idea.” She uttered, her head against my chest, listening to my heart beat slowly. 

“Is there a way I can find out?” I inquired, and I felt her shrug against my chest. 

“I'm not sure,” she admitted, “maybe chase after them and question then with torturing tactics.” She said simply, and I pulled away to look her in the eye, noting the way she held a sweet, playful grin. 

“I like the way you think, Blossom.” I commended, and she giggled as I leaned down to press a kiss to her nose.

We were silent again, and my fingers ran through her beautiful orange locks of hair soothingly. 

“Earlier, you told your mom you had an interview with McCoy’s,” I recalled, “was that just an excuse?” 

“No,” she chuckled, “I already had the interview last week, but I wanted to wait until I got the job to surprise you.” She sighed. 

“Do you think you'll get it?” I queried, my fingers massaging her scalp softly.

“Yeah, I mean, I gave her my sketches, and she seemed impressed.” She said with slight optimism. 

“They'll be foolish if they don't.” I grinned, and she looked up at me with her own smile. 

“I can't wait to start making my own money.” She sighed. “Then I can move out of my parents’ house and be free of their nuisance.” she rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, as exciting as it is, I'm not a fan of sneaking around.” I teased. Rather than laughing, Cheryl's eyes shifted downward in an undetermined bout of emotion. 

“I'm sorry, Toni. I don't want you to feel like I'm ashamed of you or anything.” She sighed, and I shook my head. 

“Hey,” I began, directing her attention to myself, “I'm not gonna leave you.” I assured, taking her hand in mine. “You can take as long as you need. I know you're not ashamed, or else you'd be more hesitant to be with me in public.” I assured before leaning down to kiss her lips tenderly. 

After a few minutes more on the couch, just lying together, I decided I should take a shower after all the sweaty people from the night before. 

I left her to lay alone, and locked the doors and windows before going to shower. 

The shower was always where I thought the best, and it made me ponder things I often didn't otherwise. 

Today's subject surrounded what I'd do to keep Cheryl safe.

It made sense that they'd be after her if they were trying to access me, considering it's been proven difficult to keep me detained. With Cheryl, I'd likely to anything to keep her alive, because I cared about her. She was my mate, as far as either of us were concerned, and I didn't want anyone else to be there. 

In all honesty, this would've been easier if I wasn't falling for anyone. I wouldn't worry about a secret identity or keeping myself low, but alas, that's not how this works.

Instead, I was both blessed and cursed with the feelings I had for Cheryl in all her beautiful, kind and high-maintenance glory. 

I was taken out of my thoughts when I heard someone knock on the door. 

“Come in!” I shouted over the water, and I heard the door creak open. I poked my head out from behind the red and black plaid curtain and was met with a bashful looking Cheryl. “What's up, Cheryl?” I asked with a soft smile as the girl closed the door behind her. 

“I'm sorry, I just…” She sighed, her hands falling into the pockets of her jeans. “I'm not comfortable being out there alone. I hope you don't mind.” She voiced. 

“No, of course.” I blinked. “Go ahead and sit on the toilet, I'll hurry along.” I assured.

“No, no. Take your time.” She mumbled. “I'm patient.” She lied, and I chuckled. 

“How about you join me?” I suggested, and watched as her eyes widened. “You went through a lot in these past two days, a warm shower is the perfect thing to ease your nerves.” I explained. 

“Yes.” She nodded. “Okay.” 

“Come here, I grinned, pulling the curtain, just enough to uncover my body. She looked at my bare skin, her eyes wandering every visible inch of my slick, glistening skin. She stepped closer slowly, and I pulled her hands so I could lift my top over her head, revealing her pail, supple breasts and toned abdomen. 

She leaned down and shimmied out of her pants and underwear before stepping in beside me. 

I looked her up and down, and watched as the water slowly darkened her beautiful hair, causing it to cling to her wet shoulders. 

“You're breathtaking, Cheryl.” I breathed, my fingers trembling as I reached forward only a little so she could close the gap herself. She took my hands in hers and stepped closer, allowing me to take her breasts in my palms. 

She shuddered when I felt her nipples harden beneath my palms. I moved them down the side of her breasts, then to her ribs, then her thighs. She moved her hands to my hips and pulled me against her, our bodies slick as they melded together. 

She sighed against my embrace and simply held me. 

I felt my heart rest, its pounding at bay as we rocked together, not erotically, just together. We held each other, we stayed together. We danced under the water to the beat of each drop that hit our bare, wet skin. 

I sighed and I opened my eyes, to see the walls reflecting the purple that so obviously emanated from my eyes. 

“I'm happy purple is the color you glow.” Cheryl mumbled, obviously able to see my hair as it glowed. “It's comforting, like I can walk into a wall of purple light and be embraced by you and purely you.”

“Are you high?” I asked, and I felt her chest shake as she laughed against me. 

“I just…” She sighed, and the next words, I couldn't feel as she uttered them, telling me it was just a thought she held. “I love you.” 

“I love you too, Cheryl.” I whispered, and she sighed.

“Stop reading my mind.” She groaned, and I giggled.

“I can't help it. It's like, I can only hear what your brain wants me to know.” I explained. 

“That's annoying.” she moaned, and I grinned before pulling away and reaching my arms up to rest on her shoulders. 

“It comes in handy, really.” I chuckled. 

We stayed in the shower like that for another ten minutes before we decided it to be a good idea to start washing up. She washed my back, stopping at the lowest point of my back and I looked to her over my shoulder. 

“It’s okay, you can go lower, if you’re comfortable with that.” I assured, and she nodded, her soapy hands slowly lathering my ass, her fingertips massaging them tenderly. She rounded my hips with her hands, pressing herself against me from behind as she moved in circles along my abdomen. She stopped, and I turned around, wrapping my arms around her neck as I looked her in the eyes. “You can touch me as much as, and wherever you want, baby.” I mumbled, and she nodded, leaning down to kiss me deeply, her hands landing to my hips, so to pull them against hers. 

“I want to make love to you.” She whispered, the words slurred as she moved her lips against mine to speak. 

“I’m all yours.” I whispered.

“Against the shower wall, Toni.” she demanded softly in the form of a moan, and I nodded, stepping back slightly, until I felt the cold, hard tile wall of my shower. She hummed before pulling away, her eyes trailing over me, her full, supple bottom lip being tugged at by her teeth. 

“What are you waiting for?” I husked, my chest heaving against the water as it dropped upon me. 

“I don’t want to slip and fall.” Cheryl muttered, her eyes still trained on my body. 

“Should we try the bed again?” I asked, and she nodded, leaning over to turn off the faucet before stepping out of the tub backwards, her hand holding mine as she tugged me out of the bathroom, water dripping down her body from her hair to the floor. 

Once she was by the bed, she kneeled onto it and moved backwards so that she was on her hands and knees, looking up at me expectantly. I grinned, and threw the blanket from the bed before following her so we both sat on our knees. She didn’t even look at me for a second before lunging at me, her lips on mine, hands on each side of my face as she explored my mouth with her tongue. She hummed as she pulled away, only to reattach her lips to the side of my neck, her teeth sinking into my skin as she did so. I moaned when her left hand trailed down to my right breast, fingertips circling my nipple, which stood to attention at her touch. 

She licked a trail from the side of my neck, around to the middle of my throat, her teeth sinking in there for a moment. 

“Mm, I like that you glow brighter when I do something you like.” she said against my skin before dragging her hand down my thigh, then up toward my aching sex. 

“Maybe you should touch me and see how bright I glow.” I moaned, causing her to smirk. 

“Lie down.” She demanded, and I did just that, my eyes itching at her face as she planted a kiss at the valley of my breasts. Her lips sucked my flesh softly, her right hand finally fell so her thumb could circle my clit. 

I hummed, my eyes closed as she moved her lips up to take my nipple between them. Her fingers drug themselves through my folds, gathering the slick wetness upon them. 

“Toni,” she whispered, and I opened my eyes to look at her, causing them to widen when I noticed the way her fingers glistened with my arousal, which was tinted purple, though still transparent. She looked between her fingers and me, then slowly stuck her tongue out to suck my juices into her mouth.

I moaned, and she joined when she closed her eyes and dropped her head back slightly at the taste. 

“My God,” Cheryl whispered, slightly overwhelmed. At the way I tasted. She quickly leaned down, looking me in the eyes deeply as she poked her tongue out, and flattened it against my folds. She moaned against me, her body shuttering as she flicked it from my clit, down to my entrance. “Mmn…” She moaned, her hips moving as she teased my entrance with her tongue.

I moaned in response, my hips bucking into her face roughly as my spine rattled in my body. My thighs trembled as her nails gripped at them harshly.

“Shit,” I exhaled as her thumb circled my clit again, her tongue curling within my tight walls. She groaned against me, and I noted how she moved her left hand from my thigh, down between hers. I threw my head back as my hips rolled into her face, my hands gripping her long, damp locks of orange between my fingers as I pushed her head down further, forcing her deeper inside of me, where she hit my G spot. 

A scream ripped out of my throat as I humped her face from beneath. 

I gasped when my orgasm darted through my body. I felt her tongue squirm inside of me as she tried to take up every last drop of my arousal. My hips rattled as she helped me come down from my high. 

Once I'd finally ridden out my orgasm, Cheryl's tongue exited me, and proceeded to clean up any piece of me that wasn't already in her mouth. 

Proceeded to ride her hand for another minute, before she came crashing down, her body falling onto me as she breathily rode out her own orgasm. 

“Oh…” Cheryl exhaled as she tried to catch her breath. “Toni, you… Your come affects me.” She tried, “When I tasted you, it was like it went straight down to my clit.” 

“What?” I laughed.

“Toni, eating you out felt like I was being touched.” She explained.”I don't know how, but,” she licked her lips, then moaned, “oh, God.” 

“This is the best thing ever.” I laughed in astonishment, and she joined in. 

“Tell me about it.” 

… 

Cheryl decided I was time for her to go home around seven that night, after we took another shower to clean the sweat and sex from our skin. 

I had to go down to the Wyrm to find Yoshi so I could feed him, before going out for my nightly patrol, so I did that before flying her home. I stopped outside of Thornhill and kissed her deeply. 

“I'll see you tomorrow morning.” She grinned before walking away backwards, her eyes refusing to leave me.

“I love you.” I mumbled, and I heard her mind. 

“I love you.” 

I watched as she slowly made her way up Thornhill to her house, up until she walked through the door. 

I sighed before jumping up and catching air to do my job, the memory of tonight etched in my brain for the rest of the night, my mind stuck on the girl I was so rapidly falling for.


	8. 7

I guess this is where the dynamic of my story changes drastically. Bear with me.

It had been two weeks, and now we were in the middle of November. Cheryl and I had developed a routine that consisted of the normal one at work, then slipping away together to walk the streets of Queens, where we often landed on the boardwalk, and back into the lab of Professor Smithers, our friend who created this pathogen. We've learned a lot since then, like about how Cheryl and I work on the same emotional wavelength, and if I want her to hear my thoughts, I can easily slip those t past my mind and into hers. It's become very convenient, like when we were in the same room as her parents and we wanted to arrange plans, or slip under their noses for the thrill.

I also taught myself how to lower my voice with a shift in my vibrato, so that came in handy.

We also learned that the maple tree that was cut down, has now suddenly completely regenerated, and has grown twice its previous size. Smithers said it wasn't die to grow any more, but that the maple from that tree is laced with the pathogen, and is not to be consumed.

The tree really should've been guarded better.

Anyway, Cheryl and I have been indulging in our new freedom as a semi-supernatural couple by going on midnight walks in minimal clothing, uncaring of the temperature, as I was immune to cold, and she was immune to illness that came with it.

As for my title as Voltage, it has blown up. People all over the world have heard of me, and crime in Riverdale has dropped significantly, for fear of running into me.

However, there are more homeless people roaming the streets, considering so many people were getting their pay from the crimes they commited.

My face was on every billboard in the city, and people have even used my name as indorsement.

I have a purple drink named after me at Starbucks, for Christ's sake. 

 

It was nice. They even sold costumes like mine in stores, with bright colored wigs and glasses that glowed.

Seeing the little kids run around with my look was possibly the most rewarding, for both me and Cheryl, as she designed the suit.

I was able to put her name on the suit when I stumbled across Miz McCoy, that famous designer, being mugged, and saved her.

She had been pushed to the ground, and hit her head, so I flew her to the hospital and waited for her to get her head bandaged up. I never would've done that for anyone else, but this was my girlfriend's potential boss, so I had to do something. I sat in her room with her while she waited to be discharged, and she brought up the design of my suit, and I explained to her how Cheryl had designed it.

That brings us to today, Cheryl's first day at McCoy Industries.

Her parents had decided to take Nana Rose to one of their conventions in New York City, so I was in Thistle House, sitting on her bed as she picked out and outfit for the day.

"How about this?" she asked, for the eleventh time, and I sighed, throwing my head to the side in annoyance.

"Babe, you look good in everything," I groaned, "you look good in a trash bag." I assured as I stood up, walking toward her closet and putting my hands on her shoulders, "She's not gonna fire you on your first day, I promise." I rubbed her arms before pulling her in to kiss her deeply.

"Mm," Cheryl hummed against my lips, her heart pounding in her chest against mine. "Thank you again for talking to Sierra for me," she said, her eyes pouty as she placed her forehead against mine. "It's the most amazing thing anyone's ever done for me."

"What? So saving your life wasn't good enough?" I teased, and she rolled her eyes before wrapping her arms up over her my shoulders.

"You know what I mean." she giggled as she moved our bodies, so we danced to the song playing over her laptop in the background.

"I like this song," I closed my eyes as I let the beat carry me away slightly. "Tell me where your love lies," I mumbled, "waste the day and spend the night, underneath the sunrise."

"Show me where your love lies..." Cheryl sang with me, her eyes closed as she hung from my shoulders slightly.

"Tell me where your love lies, waste the day and spend the night, underneath the sunrise, show me where your love lies."

"I love your voice." I hummed against my girlfriend.

"I love our voices together." she countered.

"I love us..." I strailed, my fingers trickling up her spine beneath her top. "Together."

"Oh God, we've become sickening." Cheryl laughed against me.

"Are you excited for your new job?" I asked, a fire in my eyes, and she sighed.

"I can't wait to move out of here." She shook her head.

"Well, a mansion is better than my place," I assured.

"The only thing that makes it better is the heating unit and the lack of dogs." she corrected.

"Well, I'll dump you before I get rid of Yoshi, so you're out of luck." I giggled, and she sighed before getting ready.

I flew her through the backdoor of McCoy Industries, as per Sierra's request.

"Good morning, Miz Blossom." She smiled, shaking my girlfriend's hand, "It's so great to see you again."

"And I you, Madam McCoy." Cheryl nodded with her own grin.

"Please, call me Sierra." She insisted before turning to me and shaking my hand. "Thank you for coming today." She nodded to me before looking between us. "Tell me, how do you two know each other?" She asked, and Cheryl and I looked at each other for a moment, at a loss.

"You're my boss." I said to Cheryl in the special way we communicated, and Cheryl grinned again.

"I'm her manager." Cheryl covered, "I'm the reason behind her strategies, her uniform, and her connections." She confirmed.

"Yeah, but for Cheryl's sake,I'd appreciate it if we kept that between us." I chuckled nervously, "She's become a very valuable asset to my career as Voltage, and I'd hate to see something happen to her."

"I love you, so much." I felt the need to telepathize to Cheryl, as my heart didn't feel at ease, being so formal and lax about how I feel towards her. She turned her head and looked at me, her eyes pouring into my soul in that way they did when she made love to me.

"I love you too, Toni."

Sierra looked between us, and her eyes warmed up as she seemed to realize how we feel toward each other.

"They're absolutely smitten." I heard her thoughts voice.

"Your secret's safe with me." she grinned. "I just wanted to thank you again for saving my life." She sighed, gesturing to her head, where a white bandage showed itself.

"Of course, Sierra." I said solemnly, "I'm doing what is right."

"Nonsense!" She waved away, "if you need anything from me, at anytime, don't hesitate to stop by. I mean that." She grinned.

"Of course, thank you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get to work. Crime doesn't stop itself." I winked, before turning to Cheryl to hug her.

"I'll just turn and give them their privacy."

I smirked at the way Sierra did just as she had voiced in her head, and I leaned up to kiss my girlfriend.

"Good luck on your first day, baby."

"I'll see you tonight."

I walked out, and decided to fly home, where I got changed, laid around and cuddled with Yoshi for about an hour until I heard someone knock on my door.

I got up to open it, surprised to see Veronica staring right back at me.

"Veronica?" I said, stunned, and the raven haired woman waved bashfully.

"Can we talk?" She asked, playing with her fingertips bashfully.

"Uh, sure..." I trailed, stepping aside so she could walk past me. She sat down, and Yoshi jumped in her lap so she could pet him, which she did. "What's up?" I asked, sitting down on the chair next to the couch.

"Well, I broke up with Betty." She exhaled, her thin bottom lip coming between her teeth nervously.

"You guys were together for ages." I exhaled in faux worry.

"Yeah, turns out three years of being in love with your best friend isn't healthy when you're trying to build a life with someone else." she sighed, a nervous, disingenuine smile on her lips.

"Veronica..." I sighed, and she piped up.

"I know, I know." She sighed, "You don't feel that way, but I'm not here to have that conversation."

"Okay," I rose a brow, "why are you here?" I asked.

"I'm in town for business. Daddy has a big dinner that will determine whether I get some of his father's money this weekend, and I need a date."

"Why can't you go alone?" I asked, and she sighed.

"I know him, he doesn't trust that I'll do something good with it unless I have someone to..." She trailed off, "Keep me grounded."

"Wow." I exhaled with a soft blink, and she sighed yet again.

"I wouldn't ask you this if it weren't absolutely important." she begged.

"Tell you what; I'll talk to my girlfriend, tell her the whole situation, and see what she says, okay?" I assured, knowing what Cheryl's answer would be.

"Thank you, so much, Toni." She said, her head falling to the side in relief. "Now who's this girlfriend of yours?" She asked, raising her brow scandalously.

"I'm not sure I'm comfortable talking about my love life with you." I protested.

"Love, you say?" she said excitedly, and I sighed.

"Yeah... She's pretty great." I grinned. "I really feel like I'm one of her priorities."

That was an understatement, obviously.

We were soulmates.

But Veronica felt too strongly for me to tell her that.

"That's great." She said, slightly defeated. "I'm happy you have someone who treats you right."

"So how long ago did you and Betty split?" I queried.

"A week ago." she stated, "She was devastated." She sighed, remorse in her voice.

"Other than that, she's okay? I remember how bad of a place she was in when we broke up, way back when."

"I'm sure she's more likely to kill another person than she is to ki herself." She scoffed, and I rose a brow.

"That's a fucked up conclusion to make." I warned, and she shrugged.

"Yeah, but it's true. She's been showing it more and more over the years. First, it was this sexy persona, with this wig, then she started wearing this leather suit, like for some fetish. She was getting really violent during sex. I ended up going to the hospital a few times even." She exhaled, and I felt my chest swell in remorse for my old friend. "I'll have to drop a line her way when I have time. Make sure she's been taking her medicine."

"Medicine?" I asked.

"Yeah, she was diagnosed with some deep mental disorders a few years back. That's how we calmed her tendencies."

"Interesting." I hummed.

After a particularly long, draining visit with my ex lover, I showed Veronica out of the Whyte Wyrm and threw myself back onto the couch.

I honestly didn't know why I was never informed of the the fact the Betty was ill, but did I really have time to dwell on it? I definitely thought I did, until my eyes were forced open by the lights that so brightly flashed beneath my lids. I grunted before throwing myself up and running to my bedroom to go change into my suit. I then ran to my window and jumped out of it and flying toward where my skin buzzed the most, which proved to be in the middle of the city, on forty-third street, where the big billboards stood, tall and strong.

I landed in the middle of the street, where cars seemed to be nonexistent, people, too terrified to leave the buildings in which they hid. I blinked, my eyes blurring slightly as I felt my breathing become labored.

"Violet Voltage!" Boomed a heavy, rattling voice from above me, and I looked up to see someone hovering there, "So nice to finally meet you!" Laughed the shadow of the person I could not well see. I jumped up to fly eye level with this intruder, and I noticed he looked like me.

Only he glowed blue.

His hair was a short, electric blue, and from what I could see, he was older than me, maybe old enough to be my father, but I didn't recognize him.

He wore a suit, but it was made of metal, and from the feet seemed to be gravity jets, meaning he didn't fly on his own like me. He also didn't seem very fit, whereas with me, my extra fat all went away with my inhibitions, like bad eyesight and asthma. Yes, I have asthma, don't judge me, I'm about to beat up this old dude.

"Alright dude, why don't you leave? You're scaring my people, and they're already scared enough with the holidays around the corner." I tried, and he simply laughed.

"I don't think you understand how this works, sweetheart." he said, his tone patronizing. "I do not heed your requests, I do not work with you, because we are not friends." his tone grew with heavier malice as he spoke, his body growing closer to me. "I hate what you are, and what you do, taking the fear away from the people of Riverdale, misleading them into thinking they're safe because there's some kind of wannabe Superman flying around, putting people out of business."

"Oh," I chuckled, "gotcha. You must be one of those people?" I guessed, "If so, you should take it out on me, because scaring my people is only going to piss me off." my tone lowered considerably, "And you don't want to see me pissed, sir."

"You're honestly no match for me, Voltage." he tried, and I scoffed.

"You're nothing but a glorified Disney villain, dude." I demeaned, and he cackled.

"A big difference," he said, pulling something shiny out of his pocket. I blinked, and he was no longer in front of me. I heard screaming, and I turned toward a group of people that suddenly began to scream. The blue of his eyes glowed as everyone scattered, and I saw something that terrified me. "I'm not afraid to do what it's take to get what I want!" he laughed, and my eyes adjusted when I saw he was holding someone in front of him. I moved closer and I realized who it was.

"Betty." What was she doing in Riverdale? It didn't make any sense. Veronica said she was back in New York. 

I saw the fear in Betty's eyes, and my heart clenched in my chest as I saw her tremble in the most gut wrenching way.

"We why don't you tell me what you want?" I asked after swallowing my nerves.

"Your head on a stick, dear." he laughed wickedly, and I sighed.

"Let her go, and I'll grant you that." I promised, and I was fully prepared to give myself up. It wasn't like he'd be able to actually dismember my head. If a bullet bounced off me, what good would a knife or saw do?

"I don't believe you." he said simply, shaking his head softly. "How about I kill her for insurance?" He suggested, and the blue eyed woman shook her head, those eyes pleading for me to do something. The small blade he held slowly slid across her skin, and I watched, the blood drip, I listened to her lungs empty, screams spewing out of it.

"No!" I screamed, and charged at him at full speed, my body checking his, throwing her to the side. I was on top of him, and I threw fists at him, noting the way his nose bled upon the first punch, and I punched him harder, my left hand holding him by the throat.

"She's injured!" screamed somebody nearby, and I blinked for a moment, not letting up on my fists as they tried relentlessly to knock him unconscious, but all they did was make another gash in his flesh.

"Somebody call an ambulance!" I heard, and knew automatically that it came from Cheryl. I couldn't help but look up to see her. He hit me over the head, something that didn't even phase me, but when I looked back, he was gone, and I hovered over nothing.

"Ambulance isn't fast enough!" I breathed before running to Betty's unconscious body and picking her up. Blood poured out of her head faster than I had ever seen, and I couldn't even blink before I jumped up and flew toward the hospital. I landed in the parking lot and ran inside to the front counter.

"Welcome to Riverdale Memorial Hosp- Oh my God!" gasped the receptionist, and I exhaled heavily.

"I need the best doctor you have available, she was attacked by some unknown assailant!" I said urgently, and the redheaded woman nodded before getting up and rushing to the door that separated her from Betty and I.

"Do you know her name?" She asked as she ran toward a gurney.

"Betty Cooper, twenty two years old, born January twenty fifth, two thousand."

I decided to leave while Betty was in surgery, and gave them my number so they could call if she wakes up while I wasn't there. I went home and took a shower to rinse all the blood off of my body. It was a somber soak, my eyes heavy, my conscious just as weighty. She could die, and I don't know what I would do if she didn't end up okay, because I know that I'm the reason behind this.

It didn't help that I opened Twitter to see thousands of new pictures and videos about what happened, considering the fact that this was my first daylight rescue, as I'm used to chasing down midnight purse snatchers and cat burglars, not beating up comic book villains in broad daylight.

It was upsetting, to say the least, especially when I saw so many people calling me a hero for agreeing to trade myself in exchange for this person they perceived to be a stranger.

It itched at me, and now that I didn't know who this man was, or where he was, or what he was capable of.

Another fear of mine was for those people I held close.

 

This wasn't just some idiot with a switchblade and a debt to pay.

I knew he wasn't afraid to end the lives of total strangers, so what he if he found FP, or Jughead?

Or Cheryl.

He'd destroy their existence, do unspeakable things to get to me, and the idea was terrifying, because it almost broke my heart, just the idea.

I had to get to him again, but how?


	9. 8

November 18th. 

It marked a month after the night I woke up from the accident that would render me immortal. 

It was also the new day that marks something important. 

The day I would wake up in the middle night, screaming in agony as my body seized and shook. Every part of my body vibrated in the most pain I’d ever felt in my life, my eyes aching, even my tongue. I had never been in so much pain in my life, and I thank God that I was lying in Cheryl’s bed with her when this happened, because she managed to get me down to her car and to Queens in about two hours. 

Smithers managed to calm my seizing, but the pain made the veins in my neck protrude from my skin, my knuckles white from holding the metal table I laid on until I bent it with my hands. 

“Easy, Miz Topaz, solid steel isn’t easy to come by anymore.” he warned as he used a magnifying lense on my veins. 

“What’s going on with her?” Cheryl queried in fear, and the old man sighed. 

“Get me a syringe and a vile of that blue liquid in the fridge.” he muttered, taking a small wipe and placing it over my skin. 

“No use, Doc.” I forced out, “Needle breaks.” He sighed when Cheryl gave him the items before filling the vile. He braced the needle on my skin, managing to break it, much to my surprise. 

He injected it, immediately soothing the agony in my blood. I exhaled, my chest heaving in relief as I breathed slowly and deeply. 

“What… the fuck just happened?” I gasped, and he sighed. 

“It looks like it was your sinapses going off.” he explained. “Your brain’s adrenaline is constantly higher than it used to be, so the functions of things that require alertness seems to send you into shock. Your brain was telling you that you made a mistake, and it was trying to teach you not to make it again. Since, your adrenaline is so high, your brain must’ve had to delay its reactions until your brainwaves were at their lowest point, which is when you’re at your most comfortable and relaxed state.”

“She sleeps every night, Smithers. Why wouldn’t she have done this when she first slept?” Cheryl asked. 

“Was tonight’s sleep different than usual?” He queried, and Cheryl shrugged. 

“We slept in my bed last night, and we don’t usually do that.” 

“Maybe that means that Toni needs to make her home more comfortable.” he suggested, and Cheryl looked at me. 

“That apartment isn’t my home.” I shrugged. 

“Maybe you should move, so you feel more at home.” Smithers suggested. “It’s definitely safer anywhere else than above the Wyrm.” 

“Home isn’t where I sleep, Smithers.” I sighed. “I’m not moving unless it benefits me more than it burdens me. I work at the Wyrm, my best friend and the only father I’ve ever known are there. I can’t just leave.” I shrugged. 

“Well, people know who you are now, baby.” Cheryl reminded, “It’s hard not to be spotted by people while flying into your window in the middle of the city, in a building that’s so much smaller than all the others.” 

“You need a home, not just some old apartment, Miz Topaz.” he suggested, and I sighed. 

“Look, my home is wherever Cheryl is, and I’m not gonna be comfortable without her, so I’m better off just staying where I am.” 

“Well, as sweet as that is, that doesn't make you safe and comfortable.” Smithers suggested, and I sighed. 

“I'll see about getting some good locks, maybe a few throw pillows or something, I guess.” We stayed at the shop for a little longer so Smithers could give me proper examination for a little longer before deciding to head home for some sleep. 

The next day, Cheryl took me to some home decor store, where she bought me a new grey sectional, along with some furry white pillows, a rug and an equally as modern looking white fur rug to go in my front room. As for my room, she bought me a new, les lumpy mattress, new comforters and pillows, as well as a navy blue rug that matched the pillow cases. She bought a grey lamp that stood just as tall as I did for both my room and the front room, which had no wall to boarder, and she bought me new plates, cups and bowls, claiming that the chipped ones I had weren’t good enough. She bought new shower curtains and rugs for the bathroom, as well as like twenty empty picture frames. 

We spent the entire day that day getting rid of my old furniture (the dump was really expensive in Riverdale, it turns out) and cleaning up all the dust I had neglected. By the time we had finished, my house looked like I had a purpose. 

The dirty old sofa had been replaced by the new, six hundred dollar sectional, that wrapped around the front room, the edge of which stopped just before the door, to where you walked in and faced it. The white rug was something Yoshi enjoyed lounging on, but only in a spot directly beneath a part of the couch. Cheryl even got Yoshi a few toys, and a bed, which ended up going in the corner of the bedroom by the lamp, which lit up the place of sleep perfectly. 

My bed didn’t feel like sleeping on a giant sponge, and the blankets didn’t itch. 

It took a few days for the frames to find themselves on the walls, but they slowly did, two by two. There were some above the couch, which contained pictures of the two of us, as well as pictures of me and jughead from when we were children. There was a picture of Yoshi, hanging above my television which she must’ve taken, considering I’d never seen the photo before that day. 

In my room, above my bed, was a picture of she and I kissing, and we both held grins against each other, easily making it my favorite picture. She brought stuff from her own home too, like a large sum of clothes from her own closet, which took up half of my own, though of course I didn’t mind. She brought one of her own pillows, which seemed to be her favorite, as well as a plush red blanket, which we draped over the back of the sectional. 

She brought a little cloth shelf that hung from the rod in my closet, which we put our shoes in. She hung a silver clock with roman numerals as the numbers over my sink, and bought new potholders to hang over the stove which had the letter T on them. She even bought curtains for the two windows in my apartment. For about a week, she came over with drawings she had created of things that reminded her of me, like a snake, and a pair of leather boots, things of the sort. She had them in a new frame she had bought, and together, we decided where to put them. 

This apartment really did become more comfortable for me to be in over the time we had spent improving it, especially since it had so much of Cheryl in it, as well as me. The little accents of red she had contributed to it, like in the lampshades, and Yoshi’s bed, of course the blanket in my living room, and her own pillow, and some of the picture frames. 

It did feel so much homier. And I felt comfortable walking around my house in my socks, for the first time in the four years I had lived in that apartment. I could cuddle with my girlfriend on a couch that didn’t smell like cigarettes and old man feet. 

My dog could sleep on something that wasn’t a dirty shirt, and I wasn’t just looking around to barren and empty walls, I was met with memories of beautiful things, like the picture above my dresser in my room that showered my and FP smiling at the camera on the first day back at school, the polaroids I’d taken in highschool, and the little notes Cheryl had taken to leaving on my coffee table after going home early in the morning to beat her parents’ wake up. 

That apartment has become our home, and it was the safety I was looking for. 

A home that wasn’t just me making do with what I had, and that didn’t make me dread coming back to it every night. 

Aside from that, in the past few weeks, Betty had awoken from an impending coma, which ended in her being taken to a mental facility uptown called, “Sisters of Quiet Mercy Home for the Ill.” I wasn't allowed to visit, considering the fact that Veronica was her emergency contacts, and only Betty or a parent could change the emergency contacts. 

Betty's dad hates me, so that wasn't likely to happen anytime soon. 

Veronica ended up staying in town longer, and her father postponed the dinner for a while, just until Veronica ensured Betty’s safety. 

The man who attacked her has yet to surface, but everyone kept their eyes peeled. 

Now, it was late at night and I was on my way home from the store where I had purchased some food for Yoshi, as well as a bouquet of red roses and a bottle of Pinot, Cheryl's favorite. 

“Hey, Toni!” Veronica shouted from behind me, the voice unmistakeable. I turned and spotted her running toward me. 

“Hey, V.” I smiled. 

“Those for your girlfriend?” She asked, exhaling as she caught her breath. 

“Yeah, I was just headed home.” I said, my tone simply neutral. 

“Is she living with you now?” She asked, her tone playful and scandalous. 

“No,” I scoffed, “her parents would never allow that.” I laughed. “She spends most of her time at my house though, and her clothes are at my house, so she might as well live with me.” I chuckled. 

“Oh, as long as she doesn't have her own toothbrush.” She joked. 

“It's red.” I boasted playfully.

“Gasp!” She said in fake shock, “It must really be serious between you two.” 

The two of us laughed as we walked closer to the south side, and I realized she was going the wrong way. 

“Didn't you say your dad lives at the Penbrook on the Northside of town?” I asked, and she shrugged. 

“Yeah.” 

“You shouldn't be walking around so late on the southside by yourself, V. Go home.” I suggested, and she shrugged again. 

“I'm fine.” she chuckled, “I can handle myself, I promise.”

“What makes you so sure about that?” Asked some deep voice from behind us, and my eyes buzzed, praying to brighten. I watched Veronica’s back straighten in fear and I sighed before passing my bag and flowers to Veronica. 

“What are you doing?” She whispered.

“Just trust me.”

“Turn around.” mumbled the man, and sure enough, we were staring down the barrel of a gun. “Look, we got us a Lodge.” Chuckled the gunman, whose face we couldn't see in the night beneath a hood. 

“Daughter of thee Hiram Lodge?” He asked, and Veronica stepped back. “Hup hup.” He stopped her by holding up his own gun. “Don't move, or i shoot.” he promised, and I sighed. 

“I don't think you wanna do this, dude.” I suggested, and he laughed. 

“Who are you to tell me who I am or ain't?” He asked.

“I'm pretty sure you don't want to know, man.” I assured. My body buzzed as he stepped closer. 

A month ago, I would be carrying a gun, but I got rid of it when I realized my hands were a more effective weapon. 

“I'm pretty fucking sure I do!” He shouted, and I was now trying with everything in me to keep my hair from its usual feat. 

“I'm a serpent.” I gritted, my jaw tense as I fought down my urge. 

“A serpent? You think that'll stop be from putting a bullet in your head?” He asked, and I sighed. 

“Just tell me what the fuck it is you want from me.” I rolled my eyes. 

“I want your friend.” He said simply. “Her dad's loaded, and I can get some good paper to give her back.” I felt Veronica cower behind me, and I straightened my back. 

“I'm afraid I can't let you do that.” I refused, and I felt the tip of his gun against my forehead. 

“Step aside, or I put a bullet in your brain.” 

“Not a chance.” I smirked, but Veronica gasped, stepping forward. 

“No, it's fine, I'm coming.” she exhaled, setting down my items.

“Veronica, no!” I growled, the other gunman grabbed her arm. 

The gunman holding his against me let up and began to walk away after the man who held Veronica. The girl looked over her shoulder at me, and I sighed. 

“Hey!” I shouted, and they ignored me. “Hey!!” I screamed louder, and I couldn't hold it back. “Hey, assholes!” I screamed, my tone changing as my hair and eyes glowed. 

They turned around, and I watched the unoccupied man cower back. 

“Yo, what the fuck!?” Called the man holding my companion, pulling his gun up and aiming it towards me to shoot me. 

I sighed, and flew so that I was standing in front of him. 

He blinked, and fell back onto his backside, letting Veronica go free. She ran back toward my items of purchase, her eyes stuck on me as I lifted him up and ran with him toward the other man, who was running away. I knocked him off his feet with my body, and he grunted. I grabbed him by the shirt and shoved them against the wall of a nearby building. 

“If anybody figures out who I am, I'll find you, and you won't be able to remember what it was you did to end up in prison, but you won't forget it.” I assured, moving my hands up quickly, slamming them back down upon the throats of both men. They wheezed and groaned as I finished my threat. “You’ll both make perfect prison bitches.” I whispered and dropped them both to their knees, leaving them to cough and choke to bring air back into their lungs. I smirked before walking away from them, back toward Veronica, who sputtered for a moment, the flowers and bag of food and wine in her other hand. 

“You're Voltage!” She gasped, and I shook my head with a laugh. 

“Let me fly you home.” I demanded, stepping closer to take my items from her. She slowly reached out and touched my hair, gasping when she did so. 

“It's not hot?!”

“No, stupid. Let me take you home.” I insisted, reaching my hand out, to which she took it. I pulled her into me with a non occupied hand, and she screamed as we ascended into the sky. It was no time before we were on the roof of the Penbrook, and her jaw was on the floor when I let go of her. 

“Why didn't you tell me?!” She screamed, hitting my chest with her hand, only to hiss in pain and cradle her hand with her other.

“I haven't told anyone.” I shrugged. 

“So you just did this all on your own?!” She asked, her tone even more upset, and I sighed. 

“No, but Cheryl was there when the accident happened.” I excused. 

“Who's Cheryl?” She asked. 

“My girlfriend.” I exhaled, and she rolled her eyes. 

“No wonder you're so close!” She shouted. “It makes sense! She already loves you, she's moving into your life and trying to be with you.” She rationalized aloud before looking back at me. “She wants you for your credit, Toni, I'm sure of it!” 

“Don't you dare!” I shouted, stepping closely to her, pointing at her chest. “You have NO right to doubt Cheryl's love for me because you don't know her! I knew her for two years! We liked each other before this, and she kissed me for the first time days before this freak accident! She saved my life in that accident and you have the audacity to question her motives without so much as a HINT on as to who she is!” I seethed, “You're blind to it because you don't know her and you're in love with me, so you want her to be using me so you can slither your way into my life, just like you did with Betty!” I cried, and shook my head before running to dive off of the roof. I flew home, landed on the roof and shimmied down the fire escape with my flowers, wine and dog food. I stepped in the window, my tears having dried against the wind from the flight over. I looked around the apartment after setting the wine and food down for my girlfriend, and when I made it to the room, I gushed at the way Cheryl laid, holding a snoozing Yoshi against her chest as she herself slept in our bed.

I hummed at the sight of them and laid down beside them, the flowers between us as Yoshi stirred. The dog's movements woke my girlfriend, and she opened her eyes, smiling when she saw me smiling at her. She looked down at the flowers, and her grin grew.

“What are these for?” She asked, and I shrugged.

“I saw them when I was walking downtown and I thought of you.” I recalled, watching as her eyes smiled and she leaned in to smell the plants. 

“You're the best, baby.” She sighed sleepily. 

“I also got you some Pinot.” I winked, and she gasped tiredly. 

“I don't deserve you.” She exhaled. 

“How about we cook dinner together, Hm?” I suggested as I reached above the flowers and moved her hair behind her ear to look at her. 

She nodded silently, and we got up, Yoshi following us into the kitchen. 

We cooked pasta, chicken and broccoli together, dancing to music she played from the entertainment center as Yoshi watched us from the edge of the kitchen, waiting for us to drop something for him. 

This night with Cheryl made me forget about Veronica, how she made such an obscene accusation. 

It was perfect with Cheryl. We are, and we cuddled on the couch with Yoshi, watching movies and kissing. The night was perfect, and I couldn't ask for anything more on this night.


	10. 9

Today was already so tiring overall.

Cheryl had been grinding for some project at work for the past three days, so I didn't even get to sneak glances and kisses in during my shift with her grandmother.

Her grandmother needed some time with me to herself though, considering, lately, she only got half the attention I usually gave her during the day. It was the bare minimum, and I was never used to doing that for people I cared about, especially this person, considering she has taught me so much about myself in these past two years.

It was lunch time, and I had just sat down next to Nana Rose, her tea warm and her pasta piping.

"Do you think I'll live much longer, Antoinette?" the old woman asked, and I sputtered at the sudden question for a moment.

"I-I don't know, I sure hope so, Nana Rose, why?" I asked, and she sighed before pausing to take a sip if her tea. She set down the small cup and looked up at me.

"I don't want to leave this earth knowing I've failed at my mission." She admitted.

"And what might that be?" I queried.

"To make sure my Cheryl is safe and happy."

My heart melted at the sound of the old woman's words.

"I'm sure she's happy." I said, my tone neutral, but it didn't seem convincing, considering Nana Rose's responses.

"Please," she sighed with the shake of her head, "Even I'm not blind enough not to see the way you care for each other." I felt my brain pound against my skull for a moment as I processed the fact that she knew what was happening between Cheryl and I.

"A-and you're okay with that?" I stuttered, and she scoffed.

"Toni, I grew up during the war, the only people I spent time around while I was going through puberty were women." She explained. "My first love was a woman, actually." she told, and my brow rose.

"Really?" I asked, my tone laced with intrigue.

"She was a colored girl too, just like you." She smiled in reminiscence. "Her name was Sandra, and she looked at me the same way my Cheryl looks at you." Her hand came up to her heart for a moment, and she closed her eyes at the memories she had. "It's how I know she's happy, because my Sandra would do anything for me, and she proved it time and time again." she sighed happily.

"What happened to Sandra?" I asked, and I watched her smile drop slowly.

"We were an interracial gay couple trying to grow in the sixties," she sighed, "she was killed by Richard, a man who wanted to marry me. I told him I was in love with someone else, and he knew who it was as soon as I told him." she sighed. "There isn't a day I don't think of her." she shook her head.

"Nana, I'm so sorry, that's awful." I sympathised and she sighed again.

"Well, things happen. Which is why I am trying to confirm that Cheryl will be safe in your hands, Miz Topaz." She asked, and it took me a moment.

I was Voltage. How the hell would I be able to promise that to a senile old lady?

Then again, I was Voltage.

How the hell would I not be able to promise that to the only person left who cares about the woman I love?

"Of course, Nana Rose." I smiled. "I'll stop at nothing to make sure that your granddaughter is safe and happy." I promised, my chest swelling with pride for the solemn swear I had dealt to this women whom I held so dear to my heart.

"That's all I ask." she smiled, her hand laying over mine lovingly. "I was hoping you'd both find your way to each other, beyond those looks you always shared.

...

After work, I decided to pay a visit to the hospital where Betty had been taken from. This time, I was prepared to do so as Voltage, considering the fact that her authority always compelled people to listen.

"Good morning, Miz Voltage." Smiled the hospital receptionist.

"Good morning, Miz Andrews. I just have a few questions regarding the Cooper case, if you don't mind." I said, leaning against the red headed woman's desk, and she nodded.

"Of course, though I can't promise much." she warned before pulling up her file on the computer.

"It says here that she was taken from here by the Sisters, per request of a Hal Cooper." she read. "She was different than people around said she is. She was hitting, and she was violent, she broke the rail on the bed as though it was made of foil." she sighed as she looked up at me. "She put a nurse into a coma, Miz Voltage." her voice was low and piteous, her brows worried.

"Thank you, Miss Andrews." I sighed. It couldn't have been this bad with Veronica, and I couldn't ask her, because we weren't on the best terms as of right now. "If you have any more information, don't hesitate to call."

"Oh, well, my son, he's a police officer, and he's working on her case now." she said softly, "I could connect you to him, if you'd like." she suggested, and I took a moment to ponder.

I'd never had good experiences with cops, especially white cops. The police in Riverdale were dirty, for the most part, and they probably all worked for major drug dealers, and the idea of working with the people who killed serpents-my friends- was hardly feasible.

But Mary Andrews was a good person, and if anyone could raise a moral person, it was her.

"I'd definitely appreciate that." I smiled, and she did the same as she wrote down a number and gave it to me.

"Send your girlfriend my best as well." she grinned with a nod, and I gave her a look of confusion.

"My girlfriend?" I asked, my mind only flashing back to Cheryl.

"Yes, the redheaded gal you've been traveling with. Cheryl, is it?" she said, and my eyes widened.

"Why would you think that?" I asked, and she shrugged.

"Everyone thinks that. If I'm wrong, I apologize."

"No, no, it's fine." I sighed. "I'll see you later, Miss Andrews." I greeted before turning away and running toward McCoy Industries.

...

"They know we're together."

"Oh God, my parents?" she hissed, her hands shaking, and I sighed.

"No, the city. Everyone thinks you and voltage are dating, and that's dangerous!" I exhaled, and her body relaxed slightly.

"Well, you can just deter attention from your love life." Cheryl shrugged, looking back down to the blueprints of a piece she was working on.

"Cheryl, I'm a part of pop culture now, nobody's gonna look past a romantic relationship, and I looked on Twitter, and it's all over the place." My girlfriend sighed before moving around her work table to approach me. She pressed a kiss to my lips and wrapped her arms around my waist.

"Toni, you need to worry more about the threats, like that man who so brutishly brought harm to poor Betty Cooper." she said, her tone in fear, her eyes soft and sad.

"I know," I sighed, "maybe I should give a call to the officer Mary Andrews recommended."

"See?" she smiled, shaking her head to emphasize her comfort. "You've already got a great lead! No go, and I'll be home at six." she assured, leaning in to kiss my lips softly.

Once I left Cheryl's office, I went to the rooftop by the beach, where it was usually so calm, and I made my call to Officer Andrews, who made an appointment to meet me at Pop's diner, an old diner on the border of the south and north side of Riverdale. It would be at nine in the morning, so I decided to spend the rest of my time flying around the city, allowing people to catch glimpses of me.

Hopefully seeing me brightened somebody's day.

No pun intended.

...

"Toni, please!" Shouted Veronica through the wood of my door, and I only opened it because Cheryl was asleep and I didn't want her to wake up, considering the fact that she didn't often sleep unless she was with me at night.

"Veronica, it's obvious that you said how you felt." I exhaled without amusement.

"Toni, I'm sorry, but I can't sleep knowing you're upset with me." she exhaled, her brows in pain.

"Look, Veronica, I can't just sit here and act like you didn't insult the woman I love." I sighed. "You should feel terrible, because what you said is unfair." It was silent for a moment as she looked at me, her eyes pleading before I sighed again in relent, opening my door to let her in.

"The place looks great." Veronica noted, looking around the apartment. "Is this your girlfriend?" she asked, pointing at a polaroid picture on the wall by the kitchen of Cheryl, smiling brightly at the camera, as I was holding it.

"Yeah..." I trailed, watching as Veronica's eyes softened.

"She really looks like she loves you." She said dejectedly, looking at a picture that was taken from Cheryl's phone, where I was looking at her as she looked at the screen at me, rather than the lense of the phone's camera, her smile soft, relaxed, eyes completely transfixed in what it was I was doing.

"She does." I hissed before sitting down on the sectional, awaiting her to do the same thing.

"Where's Yoshi?" she asked, looking around, as well as at the little bed by the couch, which Cheryl had moved so Yoshi could lay closer to her when she was doing work.

"Sleeping in the other room." I answered simply as Veronica sat down on the other side of the sofa.

"I figured he'd follow you out to answer the door this late at night."

"Yeah, but he'd rather lay in bed and protect Cheryl than follow me where he couldn't be lazy." I couldn't help but smile, knowing how much Yoshi and Cheryl love each other.

"So that's really her name? Cheryl?" She asked, her tone timid, and I sighed.

"Yeah." I shrugged.

"And she's here?" She whispered, looking behind her toward the room, where the door was open, the room dark.

"Yes, stupid." I rolled my eyes. "Are you just here to learn about my girlfriend?" I asked, unamused by her antics, and she shrugged.

"I mean, I made assumptions I shouldn't have, blinded by jealousy, adrenaline and shock." she explained. "I didn't expect to see what I did, and it was a lot to take in. It's just not very often that people do things without ulterior motives, being a Lodge and all." she sighed. "That's not an excuse. I swear, but it's just hard."

"Look," I sighed, "Cheryl's all I got now, and you insulting her is you insulting everything I care about." I warned.

"I know, and I regret that, I made a terrible mistake, Toni. I want to make it right, tell me what I have to do." She pleaded, just as Cheryl walked out of the dark room, slowly and sleepily, a sleepy Yoshi in her arms.

"What's going on?" She asked, her eyes barely alert, and I grinned at her messy hair and sleepy eyes.

"Nothing, baby, Veronica was just checking in after the incident the other night." I said, my voice soft and comforting as she walked closer to me. She sat down and kicked her feet up, laying her head in my lap as she curled into a ball, allowing Yoshi to do the same against her stomach.

"The one where she figured out it was you?" she asked tiredly.

"Exactly. Now, why are you up?" I inquired.

"I couldn't sleep after you got up." She complained.

"I'm sorry, sweetie." I apologized as I ran my fingers through her long, fiery locks. "We're almost done, and then we can go back to bed." I kissed her forehead.

"It's nice to meet you, Veronica." Cheryl yawned before closing her eyes.

"Nice meeting you too, Cheryl."

It was obvious by the look in Veronica's eyes that she felt terrible about her initial words as she looked at my girlfriend, the way she depended on me as her source of comfort. Veronica could blatantly see that there was nobody better for me than Cheryl, and I knew that because I could hear her thinking it.

"I agree." I whispered.

"How did you-" she thought, and I interrupted her thoughts.

"One of my abilities." I chuckled.

"Of course it is." she rolled her eyes. "Well, I see very well how she feels about you, and how you feel, and I'm sorry." she sighed.

"I understand." I waved it off, looking down to look at Cheryl's sleeping figure, my fingers raking through her hair. "You owe me though." I conditioned seriously, and she smiled composedly.

"Of course, anything you need."

"Are there going to be press at that thing with your dad?"

...

"Thank you for meeting me, Voltage." Spoke the red headed police officer as he shook my hand.

"Hey, you're the guy from halloween." I laughed as I sat in the booth beside him.

"Yes, I am." He said simply, a slight chuckle to his voice.

"Yeah, you're more handsome in the light too." I said, my face amused. Admittedly, he wasn't ugly, but he was also far from attractive.

Then again, I am gay.

"Thanks." He blushed. "My mom said you needed some information on the Betty Cooper case?" He said, taking drink of his vanilla milkshake.

"Uh, yeah, I just really wanna see if I can catch this guy, and I feel like he changed her when he hurt her." I explained, my fingers entwining together, wrists resting on the table.

"Well, I looked at her files, and they said she has a history of mental illness, even from a really young age, so her violence isn't uncommon after a head trauma." he explained, referring to notes in a small notepad in the palm of his hand from his lap.

"Yes, but with all due respect, Officer Andrews, I know that woman personally, and she was never violent, not in the fifteen years I've known her. There's something else at play, and that's what will help me get to this man." I explained once Pop Tate, an old friend, came with my usual chocolate shake.

"Yes, ma'am, I understand but-"

"Excuse me," said a voice from behind me, and I turned my head, to be met with someone I recognized.

"Hi," I greeted the man, and he sighed, wringing his hands with each other. "what can I do for you?" I inquired of the very familiar person beside me.

"Yes, I'm the father of the girl you saved earlier this month; Betty Cooper. I just wanted to thank you for stopping that man." Sighed Hal Cooper, his hands trembling as he looked into my glowing eyes. "I don't know what I'd do if she didn't come back to me." He sighed, shaking his head solemnly.

"Wait, I thought she was taken to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy." I tilted my head in confusion.

"Yes, she is, but it's better than not coming home at all." he sighed, his eyes tired, like he's given up. I'd never seen him like this, it was sad, honestly.

" Mister Cooper, I'm Officer Archie Andrews, and I'm working on your daughter's case." He said softly, reaching his arm across the table for him to meet in a cordial shake. "Is there anything you're willing to tell me so that I can take this guy down?" He asked, and Hal exhaled, weighing his ideas in his mind.

"I have to get to my daughter for now, but I'm definitely interested in speaking with you, Officer." he humbled before meeting my eyes. "Will the two of you be working together?" he asked.

"Well, no-" I interrupted his objection.

"Yes, we are." I smiled. "Officer Andrews and I are working together." I grinned softly, my fingers toying with my straw from inside my shake.

"I own the Riverdale Firm. Stop by Thursday at noon, and I'll have some notes for you." He nodded with a sad smile.

After Hal left, I was reprimanded by Archie. We had our argument and I left after winning it.

Now, I had to go get fitted for 4the dinner with Veronica and her family.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, babe?" I asked of my girlfriend, who was measuring my torso, and she scoffed.

"I think it's a terrible idea, but it's better than people assuming Voltage and I are involved." She assured. "Turn." She mumbled, causing me to do just that. "Besides, it's amazing for business if everyone at the event knows that you're wearing a McCoy design." she rationalized, measuring my arms.

"Geeze, how insane is one of these supposed to get?" I groaned, and in walked Veronica at that moment.

"This event goes around the world. People from all over come to support the charity. Beyonce even came last year." Bragged the brunette as she walked to Cheryl and put her hand out to shake. "Officially, I'm Veronica Lodge." She smiled, and Cheryl seemed unamused.

"Cheryl Blossom." she said simply, causing Veronica's confidence to falter slightly. "I'm underwhelmed, Toni." Sighed Cheryl as she looked at me, bored. "I don't know if I should be insulted that your standards were so low, or if I should be relieved that you're working on such a significant upgrade." Cheryl Insulted, causing Veronica to reel back in shock.

"Cheryl," I sighed before stepping off the platform and standing in front of my girlfriend, holding her arms in my hands. "Be nice, okay? She's helping us." I willed, causing her to roll her eyes.

"Anyone who doubts my feelings for you is asking for hellfire, Toni." she justified.

"You told her about that?" Veronica asked, her tone in disbelief, and I shrugged.

"I tell her everything."

"You wouldn't know anything about honesty, would you, betrayer?" Cheryl quipped, and I rose a brow at her.

"Cheryl, you're an adult, stop acting like you're nine." I scolded.

"Listen," Veronica sighed, "I'm rich, I've been really nice and easy to step on, so I was just trying to look out for my friend." she justified. "I didn't even know you, but I can see now that clearly, you love her, and it was unfair of me to be so quick to judge."

"I'm not relenting my distaste until you earn something more than that." Cheryl said stubbornly before walking away from me, toward Veronica. "If you try anything with my girlfriend, I'll scalp you with my bare hands." she mumbled lowly, and Veronica's chest heaved in slight fear as she nodded.

This is gonna be interesting.


	11. 10

I never realized how much I hated attention. I mean, I should've known, considering the fact that I punched the boys who stared at me in school, but now it was more apparent as I walked down a large red carpet with Veronica on my arm.

Cameras flashed in my face, making it hard to see past all the paparazzi who so invasively called my name.

Besides that, it was nice. Everyone was dressed wonderfully, and I was more than happy to meet some very interesting people, like Valerie Brown, a widely known singer and guitarist from a girl group called the Pussycats.

The outfits were gorgeous, including both Veronica's, and mine.

Veronica was dressed in a floor length blue gown with a train that dragged for about three feet behind her. Her hair was down in curls, her lips a deep burgundy.

My glowing pink locks were styled up in a bun, the sides of my hair framing my face, which was mostly covered by a new accessory that Cheryl surprised me with. It was the same signature color as the rest of me, but it was less vibrant, more practical. It sparkled around the frame of my face, and it was heavy, but it looked harmless, like a masquerade ball accessory. It covered from my eyebrows, down below my eyes, over my nose, cheeks, and chin. My lips were free, and my eyes had screens over them that did less to blind me from sight than to blind others from my scorching eyes.

As for my dress, it was an absolutely beautiful two piece. It was a lavender color, and the corset framed my breasts in a sweetheart neckline. It had no sleeves, and my boots were hidden beneath the long, thick fabric of my skirt as it flared outward like a Disney princess going to a ball.

"Voltage, who are you wearing this evening?" Called out one cameraman.

"Blossom, by McCoy." I said simply, smiling with Veronica as we posed for pictures in front of the beautiful hall.

"Are you dating Veronica Lodge?" asked another paparazzi. I looked at Veronica, who simply winked at the cameras before taking my hand.

I was relieved to finally end up inside, as I knew that cheryl would be there, her father having been invited by Veronica's father.

The venue was huge, and people from all over the world were there. Exclusive cameras snapped pictures from the sidelines as Veronica and I sat a table away from Cheryl, Clifford and Penelope Blossom.

Cheryl looked up at me for a moment before her eyes came back up, sinking into my skull as I sat down parallel from her table. Her hair was in beautiful red coils, curling down her face, shoulders and chest in the most beautiful way. She wore eyeliner that made her auburn eyes pop and pour into my soul. Her bright red lips quirked up at me and her mind prodded at mine as she talked to me inside it.

"You look beautiful, Toni." she thought.

"I want to kiss you." I insisted, and I watched as she looked to her parents.

"I'll be in the little girl's room if you need me." she said simply before getting up and going to the restroom.

"Go to the restroom with me, sweetie." I grinned to Veronica through the conversation happening between her and one of her father's business partners.

"Excuse me," she smiled before taking my hand and leading me toward the bathrooms. "You already can't resist her, Toni?" Veronica sighed exasperatedly, causing me to shrug before we walked into the bathroom area. Once we entered the colossal bathroom, Veronica looked under every stall as I simply looked on at Cheryl from across the room.

"It's safe." Veronica assured as she locked the main door to the bathroom.

"You look stunning, princess." I muttered longingly as I slowly stepped toward her. She smiled, her eyes spilling slightly before she ran up to me, her form fitting gown riding up her beautiful pale skin as she rushed into my arms. I held her against my chest and kissed her deeply, my hands yanking on the deep red fabric of the dress as I pulled her closer to me.

"I love you so much." she mumbled against me.

"I love you too." I whispered, my fingers trembling against hers as we locked them. "You did an amazing job on this mask and dress, Cheryl." I laughed, causing her to do the same.

"It's really hard, finding actual titanium to form for you," she giggled, taking the mask and pulling it up over my head. She brushed her knuckles against my face with a soft smile. "I just wish we didn't have to cover up your beautiful face." she sighed, pressing her lips against my jaw once, then to my lips again.

"We have to hurry up before someone notices the door is locked." Veronica insisted, and I sighed. Cheryl smiled sadly and pulled the mask back down over my face.

"I love you." She whispered, taking my hand and pressing her lips to the palm of it.

"You guys are so dramatic." Veronica rolled her eyes before taking my other hand and dragging me out of the bathroom.

We talked with wealthy people for a while before people started to approach me and talk to me about my work, what compels me to do it.

"Do you get paid for it?" Asked one man.

"No," I laughed kindly, "I really just love to help people because I know it comes with people who are grateful for what I do." I answered.

"Well, have you ever considered what the money would be like if you did get paid?" Asked the man's wife.

"Yes," I exhaled, "but I realized I'm not interested. I make enough money to get by in other ways." I explained.

"How is that?" queried another.

"Well, surely you don't think I walk around as Voltage all the time." I chuckled.

"Perhaps not," chuckled someone behind me, and I was met with a familiar face. "but it seems you have a very wealthy girlfriend." Suggested the man I recognized from the night my apartment was attacked.

"Well, if you're suggesting she's my source of income, I can truthfully say that I have never asked for a penny of her money." I swore, standing my ground and acting as though he was unrecognizable. "I believe fully in the discipline of earning and saving one's own money. It's important to me that I don't rely on others' money for my stability, because not only is it wrong, but money isn't the most important thing to me." I assured.

"Are you sure about that?" asked the Hispanic man, and I cleared my throat before turning to face him fully.

"A hundred percent." I hissed. "I am happy with what I have."

"Daddy," I heard Veronica call from behind me, and she walked up to hug the man I spoke with.

"Hola, mi hija." Smiled the man, who seemed to by the one and only Hiram Lodge.

"I see you've met my girlfriend." My friend smiled, gesturing to me as she took my hand in hers. "Voltage, this is my dad, Hiram Lodge." she smiled, turning to meet the eyes of me.

"Yes, we were just talking about you." he lied before kissing Veronica's forehead, not hesitating to stare daggers at me. "Can I just talk to... Voltage here in private?" he asked of Veronica.

"Daddy," she cautioned, "be nice to her, don't scare her away." she warned, rubbing my bare arm for effect.

"I'm gonna break her fingers." said Cheryl to me through my mind, and I grinned at her threat.

"Of course, Mija, I'm just going to ask a few simple questions, just like with Betty. Just to make sure my baby is safe." he smiled.

"You made Betty cry, daddy." she recalled, and he laid a hand on my shoulder heavily.

"I'm sure Voltage can handle it." he laughed, and I nodded.

"It'll just be a talk, sweetie." I smiled before leaning down and kissing her cheek, close to her lips.

"Don't rat us out." Veronica whispered in my ear as Cheryl broke through my brain again.

"Watch it," Cheryl warned, "don't think that just because you're invincible I won't skin you too."

I chuckled against Veronica before moving my hand from her waist and walking after Hiram.

The man led me toward the kitchen, back behind a pantry where he closed the door and stood close to me, his eyes flaring.

"Last time we met, you were with a redheaded woman, and last time I checked, my daughter wasn't redheaded." he growled, and I scoffed.

"That was a month ago, back when Veronica was still with her ex girlfriend." I justified. "It's different now, and I care about Veronica." I dared.

"What makes you think you deserve her?" He asked, and for a moment, I found myself thinking about Cheryl. It could've been because I could feel Cheryl's brainwaves trying to connect with mine, or it could've been because of the fact that I was questioning whether or not I actually deserved her.

"I don't!" I whisper yelled. "She's beautiful, and sweet, and incredibly kindhearted. Everything about her is too good for me, and that's why I do everything I can to keep her safe and happy." I answered, more on behalf of Cheryl than Veronica, as it was the first thing I could think of. "I do not deserve that amazing woman, but I fight everyday to prove to myself that I do, and no matter how much she tells me she's the one who doesn't deserve me, I can never help but not believe it because nobody is good enough for her in all of her perfection." I felt his shoulders relax slightly as his scowl loosened up.

"Nobody's perfect though, right?" He tested and I shook my head, my jaw tight.

"Perfection comes from a point of view, and she may not be flawless, but I love her flaws just as much as I love her strengths. So she's perfect." I unrelented.

I watched as Hiram's face flashed in realization, and he stepped back.

"Very well then. Let's get back." he asked, opening the door, but I pulled it closed, causing him to gasp, feeling the strength in my hand alone.

"First I want to know why you followed me into that apartment." I demanded.

"I was asked to collect you for some interviews." he sighed.

"Why?" I asked immediately.

"I don't know, but I got a call from a boss who asked me to do it."

"Who is your boss?" I inquired.

"Clifford Blossom."

...

After Hiram and I had our confrontation in the pantry, he asked me to get a drink with him at the bar, and three glasses of scotch later, we were laughing and talking comfortably. I didn't drink anything but water, but he, of course, had scotch.

"Does my daughter know your secret identity?" Hiram asked over his glass, and I nodded over mine.

"It was an accident, but yeah." I chuckled.

"How is that?" he asked, and before I could say anything, Veronica appeared beside me, opposite Hiram's side.

"Someone held us at gunpoint and tried to take me for ransom." She shrugged. "She had no choice but to change right in front of me." she chuckled.

"How long ago was this?" he asked, confused.

"Last week." I explained. "She was actually walking me home after our date." she lied smoothly.

"Why didn't you come as yourself?" he asked.

"I figured it's better publicity to find out that one of the richest men in Riverdale is in well with Riverdale's hero." Veronica answered, pulling me closer to her by my arm.

"Yeah, I didn't think making an appearance as myself would be great for my real life. People would think I changed because of the publicity this Gala would've given me as a normal person." I excused, as rehearsed with Veronica and Cheryl.

"And you're assuming you're not normal?" he asked, causing Veronica to laugh.

"Daddy, her veins glow purple." she reminded. "She flies and deflects bullets."

"Yes, but she's still got human morals, and a kind heart. What makes her abnormal?" he slurred slightly.

"Alright, daddy, I think you should go rest." She chuckled, moving around my to pull her dad down from a stool to guide him to his table.

I laughed off his drunken state and leaned back against the bar, peering around at all the people who talked, drank, swayed to the music when I met the sight of long, beautiful waves of red hair that cascaded a beautiful satin dress.

It was as though her body was an ocean, and her hair contributed to the current, dragging my eyes in further, begging my to get my feet wet, making me itch to dive in. She was swaying her hips to the soft music in the background as she stood beside her mother, and young man, Mrs McCoy across from them.

I approached smoothly, and smiled as casually as possible to stand between the man and Sierra. 

"Good evening, ladies." I grinned, looking between Sierra and Cheryl, who both smiled at me.

"Good evening, Miz Voltage." Greeted Sierra, leaning next to me to kiss my cheek in a friendly manner.

"Mrs McCoy." I nodded with a smile. "You look stunning, as always." I commended of her pearl ball gown, sequined in pink rhinestones.

"And you, of course!" Laughed the McCoy woman.

"Well, you helped design it." I chuckled, and Sierra shook her head.

"I wish I has assisted in making this beautiful mask!" she gasped, and I grinned.

"That was a side project by Miz Blossom." I blinked across the group of people, catching the attention of Penelope.

"You made that?" asked the older woman, to which Cheryl shrugged.

 

"I was sick of opening Twitter and seeing that hideous bandana, so I offered to make one for Voltage for my own side fee." she recalled.

I was happy she didn't explain the fee I paid of Cheryl because it was not in money. I caught the heiress' smirk from across the group of people, which was enough of an indication that we were thinking about the same thing.

"Oh," I chuckled upon noticing the tall, dark haired man and the redheaded woman. "I'm so sorry to intrude, and be so rude, I'm Voltage." I smiled, holding my hand out to the boy, who stood closer to me.

"I know exactly who you are." Smirked the boy, causing me to feel unsteady. "Nick Saint Claire," he boasted, "of Saint Claire Cinematics." he dusted off his pressed collar for a moment, assessing my look as he did so.

"Penelope Blossom, but I am sure you already know who I am." she chuckled, and I nodded, taking her hand and kneeling slightly, looking her in the eye, my being much more relaxed at my body felt, knowing I was hidden by the mask.

"Of course, one of the most prestigious women in industrial entrepreneurship today." I sighed, as practiced, and watched her eyes light up.

"I- I had no idea you knew anything about me. I'm usually named as Clifford Blossom's wife." she blinked in astonishment, her eyes filled with intrigue.

"Yeah!" I enthused. "I follow all the beautiful, successful women in Riverdale." I charmed, causing Penelope to give me a look that said she didn't hate me, which was a good thing, considering the fact I'm sleeping with her daughter.

"Well, it's nice to finally meet someone who appreciates my role." Nodded Penelope in a strong way.

"Of course, Mrs. Blossom, we women have to stick together." I chuckled.

"Yes, of course-"

"Penelope, who's this?" I heard Clifford's voice boom behind me, and I jumped slightly before turning around and meeting his eyes. It was different to see him, as he is very likely to be suspicious that I'm not who I say I am. I stood up straight and held a hand out to shake his.

I felt the dead and cold in my boss's hand, the way his aura leaked of dysfunction and wickedness.

"Violet Voltage, Mister Blossom. Nice to meet you." I kissed up, and he simply looked at my outstretched hand before turning his nose up at it and looking past me to Cheryl, then to his side to Nick, who silently grinned to himself.

"How are you, young Saint Claire?" Asked the man, a proud smile on his face as he shook his hand.

"Very well, sir, finally got revenue up by fifteen percent since July." Bragged the rich boy to Cheryl's father.

"Daddy has tried to betroth me to Nick Saint Clueless since I graduated high school." Thought Cheryl across the group to me, making me suddenly realized why I dislike him.

"I'll strangle him if he tries something with you." I communicated back, causing her to actually look up at me. We met eyes, and I watched her smirk.

"I like it when you get protective." she thought.

"If you'll excuse me," I nodded politely before turning away.

"Violet Voltage," I heard behind me, and turned around to be met with the sight of a vaguely familiar face. "So nice to see you again, I'm not sure if you recognize me, I'm-"

"Alice Cooper. How could I forget?" I grinned, reaching my hand up to the blonde woman to shake. She shifted her camera and notepad from her right hand to her left so we could greet each other.

"I'm happy you remember me." She smiled bashfully.

"How could I?" I chuckled, "You started my brand and named me."

"Well," she chuckled herself, "the only thing I could remember about the name you gave me was that I didn't care for it." she swore.

"My girlfriend felt the same way, apparently." I laughed in memory of the way Cheryl's nose turned up to the idea. God, I loved Cheryl so much.

"Miz Lodge." She responded, causing my brows to tuck together in confusion. "Your girlfriend."

"Yes," I chuckled in realization, "she's a little picky." I laughed.

"And I supposed that's what brings you here tonight?" She observed, seemingly unamused, not buying my attraction to Veronica, and I nodded with a soft chuckle.

"Yeah, she's been meaning to introduce me to her father, and this is better for me as voltage than any normal civilian." I excused. "Why is it that you're here?" I queried.

"I've been invited to spread the good publicity for Mister Lodge." She shrugged, shifting on her feet and moving the green fabric of her floor-length gown so she no longer stood on top of it.

"By whom, may I ask?" I questioned, intrigued by the idea that somebody could possibly be distracting the biggest reporter in Riverdale with this story.

"Hiram Lodge," she shrugged with the shake of her head. "Who else?"

"I guess you have a point." I relented.

"Your attention please?" Called Hiram from the front of the large venue, his hand holding a microphone as he stood on a small stage. "I'd like to thank all of you for helping by attending this event that my wife," he paused before taking a moment to point out a woman, whom I could identify as the woman who attacked me in my apartment, "my daughter," he gestured back toward me, just as I felt Veronica take my hand. She waved as she hugged my arm and leaned into me, looking around to everyone as they watched her wave. "and I have worked to put together again this year." He smiled as everyone clapped.

"I guess he digested all that scotch rather quickly." I mumbled to myself.

"I just wanted to ensure everyone considers the silent auction, as well as the donation centers. I will ensure myself that all proceeds go to IHSS, a company and charity focused on finding people to keep physically and mentally disabled people out of homes and in their own homes." Hiram smiled, causing my brow to lift with intrigue.

"Wait, I work for IHSS." I whispered to Veronica, who grinned.

"Another reason I felt you'd like to be here, helping something that helps you all the time." she divulged, causing me to look to my friend, tuning out the speech.

"This is really cool, Veronica," I sighed happily. "Thank you so much."

"It's the least I can do after all I've done to mess up your life." shrugged the lodge heiress, her hand caressing my arm.

"I'm sorry I was so-"

I was interrupted by Veronica's lips on mine, and was caught off guard. I pushed her away quickly and looked her in the eyes with a look of warning in the way my lips twitched.

"What the hell?" I whispered snappily, and her eyes shifted to a bout of cameramen who all managed to sneak in. I sighed, and looked around for Cheryl, who was already looking at me, her eyes seething. I sighed before taking Veronica by the waist and pressing my lips against hers. She wrapped her arms around my neck, and I felt her foot come up and she moved her lips against mine.

I felt nothing, in all actuality, and I couldn't help but compare this kiss with the kisses I shared with Cheryl. Even slight, soft pecks were better, and made my heart leap, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, my body buzz with pure ecstasy. This gave me nothing. Veronica knew what she was doing, but she didn't have my heart, so this outwardly romantic embrace was like kissing a wall. I pulled away, and we were still close, her eyes stuck in mine as she looked up the inch I was taller than her. She grinned, and just as I sighed, I heard Cheryl's voice in my head.

"I'm going to rip her eyebrows off and use them for a fur coat for Yoshi."

I giggled at Cheryl's words as the cameras flashed.

"Both of you, bathroom, now." I heard the edge in the voice from my girlfriend's head, so I dragged Veronica toward the bathroom.

Once we got into the pearl white bathroom in a different corner, I awaited my girlfriend to sneak into it.

This bathroom was different, luckily enough for us, as it was a single restroom, likely for handicap access. Cheryl slid into the restroom about thirty seconds later, calmly locking the door behind us before looking Veronica in the eyes, her jaw tight and unrelenting. She walked quickly toward Veronica, causing her to back into the wall of the bathroom. Cheryl's hand gripping her neck, pushing it against the wall so Veronica gasped slightly. Her face was dangerously close to the raven haired girl.

"I warned you!" she barked, and I rushed to pull Cheryl's hand from Veronica's neck.

"Cheryl!" I whispered loudly, "This bathroom is the opposite of soundproof, you need to calm down!" I warned as Veronica exhaled sharply, holding her neck in pain.

"How dare you kiss her!?" Cheryl responded, her tone deadly, the volume much more reasonable. "You saw that I was watching!" she hissed, slapping my arm harshly.

"Paparazzi were everywhere!" I countered, "We were trying to sell it because I could see Alice's face, she wasn't convinced at all, and she's the reporter in charge of covering the gala!"

"That kiss was not something that could've been faked!" Cheryl cried, tears falling down her face, her tone softening as she moved to hold herself.

"Cheryl," I whispered, suddenly seeing what she was so afraid of. She didn't look up from the ground, so I reached forward to touch her arm. She pulled away from me almost immediately, causing my heart to ache at the feeling that she didn't feel confidence in the way I felt for her. "Hey," I mumbled tenderly, stepping forward to take her hands in mine. She looked up at me sadly, the tears from her eyes making my chest tighten. "Why didn't you just tell me how you felt?" I asked, and she shrugged.

"I didn't want you to think I was insecure." She pouted.

"I don't think that," I shook my head, reaching my hands up to wipe her tears away with my thumbs. I held her cheeks once I finished wiping them and gave her every ounce of attention I could spare. "Cheryl, I don't love Veronica like that," I shook my head, so to emphasize the negativity. "I never have, and I never will, because you're it for me." I chuckled, basking in the way my heart was being engulfed in the love I felt for Cheryl Blossom. I leaned in and pulled her face closer so I could kiss her lips deeply. All over again, I felt my heart swell, my stomach do somersaults, my hair stand up, and my body tremble. I felt the tears on her face and my soul poured into her being as I pulled into my body for a hug. We pulled away, and her soft eyes trailed the mask on my face before her hands lifted it off my face for the second time in a row. She set it on the counter behind her, and brought her own hand down to my level to caress my cheek.

"I hate not seeing your face." she whispered. "The beautiful face I fell in love with." She whimpered, and I hummed, my eyes closing in absolute bliss at feeling her touch me with such intimacy. I kissed her softly, feather light on the lips, then to the corner of her mouth, then to the line of her jaw. I placed my hand on her sides and leaned against her body, my lips trailing to the nape of her neck. She moaned softly, and I heard a grunt of disappointment from the woman behind me.

"Oh God, do you have to do that right here?" Veronica complained, and I watched Veronica's mood change quickly as she threw a glare over my shoulder.

"You're the one who did this, you wench, so I'm going to let my girlfriend pleasure me!" she growled, and I groaned.

"Baby, I don't think we should-" I was cut off by her glare shifting to me.

"Are you really going to pass up an opportunity like this?" she asked of me, and I thought about it for a moment before sighing.

"I guess not..."

"And would you ever be opposed to watch two ridiculously attractive women have sex in front of you?" Cheryl asked of Veronica, who sighed.

"Why can't I just go out and wait-"

"They watched you walk away together, and if she walks out twenty minutes from now covered in hickies, there will be suspicions. Now answer my question, you Grinch." she ordered.

"I-I... Definitely wouldn't pass up an opportunity..." She answered, and Cheryl grinned fakely, cocking her head to the side.

"Good, now sit there and stay quiet." she demanded of Veronica before reaching up to take my hair out of the bun and hiking her dress up to her stomach. She wore a pair of black panties that did nothing to cover her vagina. She jumped up so that she was sitting on the bathroom counter, then pulled me close. She latched her lips to mine, and when I drew my tongue out to stroke hers, she sucked on it lightly, her fingers yanking at the hairs on the nape of my neck. I hummed against Cheryl's tongue as she ground her hips against mine slowly. I moved my right hand around her waist, down between her thighs.

My fingers moved the damp fabric of her underwear to the side before toying with her folds, which were slick with her arousal. She rolled her hips more intently with each stroke my fingers made from her snatch to her bundle of nerves. I felt her lips release my tongue before she rested her chin against my shoulder and began to sink her teeth into my skin. I gasped and moaned momentarily as her tongue soothed the pierce of her teeth, then her right hand moved downward as well, tucking into the skirt of my outfit, teasing the hem of my own underwear. I hummed and pulled my fingers away to hook them in the side of Cheryl's lip while she sucked them clean. She hummed around my digits and I smiled in satisfaction while my thighs soaked themselves. 

She trailed her tongue up my neck, until she reached my ear.

"Little Miss Lodge seems to be enjoying herself," she chuckled breathily as I started to circle her clit with my thumb. Her thigh trembled as she let out a whimper. "Indulge yourself, Veronica." she mumbled, and I heard shifting, causing me to turn around. I looked over and spotted the Lodge heiress seated atop the small suede bench in the corned, slowly spreading her thighs, dress riding up slightly as her fingers slowly slithered between her thighs. Her pupils were blown, her chest heaving, lips parted as she blinked through hooded eyes. "She likes the way you pleasure me, TT." Cheryl praised in a sultry tone, and I felt my hair and eyes brighten against my nerves. I pressed a kiss to the top of her breast before leaning up.

"Make sure you keep quiet, Cheryl, they don't know you're in here." I husked, then moved my head downward. I inhaled excitedly as I licked my lips, eyes level with Cheryl's dripping sex.

I dragged my thumb through her folds as I pressed a kiss to Cheryl's thigh before sinking my teeth into the soft flesh. She hummed and I blew on the mark I had made, causing her body to shudder.

"Please," she gasped quietly, and I hushed her with a soft 'shhhh...' so she could cover her mouth with her left hand as her right hand yanked on my hair. I moved her underwear to the side more, before peaking the tip of my tongue out and gathering her wetness on the muscle. I moaned myself at the taste of my girlfriend's arousal. "You taste so good." I hummed against her, taking another lick at her entrance. I nestled my tongue between her folds, drinking up every ounce of her nectar.

Cheryl fought back her moans of pleasure, while Veronica let out tiny whimpers and mewls of pleasure. I turned around, and was met with the sight of Veronica's hand tucked inside of her own underwear, moving around skillfully as the straps of her dress fell off her shoulders. I turned back around and without warning, delved my tongue deeply within Cheryl's trembling sex, causing her walls to clench and her hips to buck against my face. Her legs moved over my shoulders, the heels of her shoes digging into my shoulders sharply. I brought my thumb up to toy with Cheryl's clit, her thighs shaking in time with each stroke. She yanked my hair harder with each stroke of my tongue up within her G-spot, and I was suddenly thankful for how loud Veronica's moans were, as they drowned out the sound of Cheryl's incessant whimpers and cries of my name while she released her juices all over my chin.

Her body heaved as she finished off, and her limp form looked on at Veronica, who still slowly stroked herself, her lips spewing out a frenzy of her own moans. She smirked as she regained her composure and took my face to kiss me deeply.

"Clean me up, Toni," she demanded with a whisper, and I did so eagerly, leaning back down to drink up every remaining ounce. Once I finished, I wiped my chin with the back of my hand after I moved her panties back in place.

She moved down from the counter, fixed her dress, then got down into a squatting position. She looked up at me with big, bright eyes before moving my skirt over her. She pulled my panties down my thighs, moved them off one of my legs and moved that one over her shoulder. Immediately, she started to stroke her tongue over my clit. I braced myself on the counter beside me as I let out a loud moan, my eyes clenching together tightly as she tugged on my nub with her teeth and teached my entrance with what felt like her finger. It was maybe two minutes before I shuttered in pleasure, releasing my arousal, which Cheryl caught in her mouth. She moaned against me in her own arousal, and I felt her tongue dance all over my sex. She sucked on my folds and finished off with a single last lick to my swollen, sensitive clit before walking out from under my skirt in the squatting position, leaving me with bated breath and a throbbing sex. 

She looked me in the eyes, then walked to a thrumming Veronica, who neared the edge, and took a hold of her chin seductively, her nails toying with the Latina's jawline. She leaned in, and kissed Veronica, who moaned even louder, and shook more intensely. Their tongues danced together outside of their mouths, and Cheryl made a show of everything, her fingers dipping inside of the woman's underwear and stroking her clit softly as Veronica neared the edge of orgasm, thanks to Cheryl, whose lips trailed to her neck to suck on the shortest woman's neck harshly.

"Take off your skirt and get on the counter, Toni." Cheryl demanded, and without hesitation, I did so in tie for the redheaded woman to let up on Veronica and help stand her up. "Now, you get the honor of knowing what it's like; our love, our time together," Cheryl whispered in Veronica's ear from behind her as she toyed with the girl's center over the fabric of her ruined panties. "You get to look back on this and be devastated that you never get to experience it again, and you'll wish you never crossed me, Veronica Lodge." she grunted against the shell of Veronica's ear, causing her to nod. Cheryl guided the raven head to my throbbing pussy, allowing the shorter woman to flatten her tongue against me.

Veronica gasped at the sudden sense of arousal that supposedly came from tasting me, and the pads of Cheryl's fingers rotated against her clit, panties pushed aside, body near convulsions as she groaned and grunted.

I gasped back at the way sensitive center was being stimulated, yet again. Veronica's hands gripped my thighs and pulled against my skin as she stroked her tongue against me and rolled her hips into Cheryl's hand. Cheryl's left hand came up and pulled Veronica's head back by a large chunk of hair in my girlfriend's grip.

The Latina let out a scream, which bounce off the tile walls of the bathroom. Her hand gripped the hair on Veronica's head from the top, and she pulled back slightly with each roll of Veronica's hips. Cheryl's fingertips slowly sunk inside of Veronica's drenched pussy, to which the girl reacted by riding her digits. I felt my walls clench around the tip of Veronica's tongue, more of my arousal spilling from my as I did so.

"Don't come before my girlfriend, harridan." Demeaned Cheryl, and Veronica cried slightly before picking up the pace of her tongue's strokes, which caused me to whimper loudly. My hands gripped my bare thighs, leaving marks all over my skin as I gasped and whimpered at the way Veronica's tongue made me subconsciously hump her face. I watched as Cheryl moved her hand from Veronica's hair, down to her neck, where she squeezed, and Veronica's eyes rolled to the back of her head, her throat emanating loud, breathy gasps, moans and screams against my tender womanhood. The vibrations sent me over the edge, my chest heaving as I groaned, my juices releasing all over Veronica's flush face. Cheryl released Veronica's throat, and she gasped as she drank me dry.

"Again," Veronica begged, "choke me again," she whimpered, "please!" My eyes widened, and Cheryl smirked at me over Veronica's head before doing as she asked, choking the woman, biting her neck and curling her fingers deep inside of the woman who rode her. I decided to help by taking a hold of Veronica's hair and pulling at it to guide her tongue to better places to clean me up. Cheryl's eyes met mine as fucked Veronica harder, the smallest girl grunting as she bounced against Cheryl's hand, her noises coming out strangled as she bucked her hips against my girlfriend. Once I was satisfied, I pulled her away from me, gripping her hair in my fists.

Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and Cheryl released her grip slightly so Veronica could breath for enough time.

"Show her the way your tongue works," she whispered, pulling her fingers out of Veronica, letting a string of the girl's thick arousal trail from Veronica's pussy to her fingers. Cheryl moved her lips from Veronica's shoulders and smirked at me before tucking her fingers into Veronica's mouth, where they were cleaned eagerly.

I sunk down to the squatting position and let out one long stroke as Cheryl's hand gripped Veronica's throat again, her other taking her hair, teeth and lips working on a hickey to the side of her neck.

I stroked her clit with my tongue, and delved my fingers deep inside of her, where it was obvious she was so incredibly close to falling over the edge. It was just seconds of this before Veronica's walls finally began to shake around my finger, then drowned them in her arousal. She let out a scream, and Cheryl let her go as I helped her to ride out her orgasm.

Before I could lick up any and all evidence, Cheryl pushed my head back.

"Let her clean herself up." She hissed, letting Veronica go to stand on her own. I walked away from her as she wobbled and tried to catch her breath before moving to look at Cheryl, whose eyes were ruthless and deathly.

"What did we just do?" I whispered, and she shrugged.

"What we needed do." She leaned in and pecked my lips before looking into the mirror so she could fix her lipstick and adjust her dress. I sighed before washing my hands, drying them, then going to step back into my skirt.

"Where are my underwear?" I asked, and Cheryl shrugged.

"I don't know, looks like you'll have to go without them." she teased, fixing her hair, which was still perfectly flawless.

Once Veronica and I fixed ourselves, we opened the door and slid out of the bathroom, to be met with dozens of pairs of eyes on us. It was silent, and I watched Veronica blush profusely, knowing that everyone had to have heard what just happened. I waited to walk away until I heard the door's lock click behind me so nobody went into the bathroom and caught Cheryl.

For the next twenty minutes, we sat at our table silently, watching people through our eyelashes to see if they paid us anymore mind now that they could safely assume they just heard the two of us having sex.

Cheryl did a really good job at incriminating us too, remaining quiet, purposely messing up our hair by pulling it and using it as something to hold onto, not to mention her habit of biting, which showed very much on Veronica's neck in the form of a large, bright purple hickey, and on my shoulder in that of a big red bite mark.

I watched Cheryl suddenly appear now, sitting at her own table with her mother and father. She said something to them, and looked past them to us with a big, knowing smirk on her face.

"I'm not done with you." she said in my head.

Oh, boy.


	12. 11

"Long time no see, midget." Insulted Sweetpea, a fellow serpent who worked with me at the Wyrm. He was over a foot taller than me, his greasy brown hair thick and almost black due to the dirt he refused to clean from it. We dated before Betty and I in high school for a bit, until we both decided it was better we stayed friends. "I thought you quit or somethin'." He teased from where he stood at the bar, wiping down the bar.

"I get better pay with the Blossoms." I shrugged as I walked around the counter and removed my serpent jacket to set on a bench.

"Like in orgasms?" He asked, causing me to clear my throat.

"What would you know about orgasms, Sweetpea? You've been a virgin for as long as I can remember." I countered as I started to dry some cups and stack them on a table behind the bar.

"That's just mean." Pouted the tall man, and I shrugged.

"I'm pretty sure Lulu gets more pussy than you do." I taunted.

"Dude, that's gross!" Groaned Sweetpea, hitting me with the rag in his hands. "I don't wanna think about my little sister's sex life." He complained.

"You brought up mine, so I decided to make you just as uncomfortable." I justified. "How is she anyway?" I asked, ready to drop the conversation as much as he was.

"She came back up from LA today. She's staying uptown." He waved off before walking back behind the bar area to the kitchen.

Lulu and I had been close for years from third grade. She was a serpent too, and she stopped me from getting picked on by the ghoulies. She was almost as tall as Sweetpea, but her shoulders were broader, and she was more sturdy than Sweetpea. She was always strong; as played football as a linebacker in high school before they shut down our athletic department. She even got into UCLA for being such a good player, despite not having a complete high school career in football.

She didn't talk much. She was much more of a physical person, and her smile was bright enough to light up someone's mood without her words. When she did talk though, she blew people away with how smart she was. Everyone thought she and Jughead would end up together, if she wasn't gay and he wasn't asexual.

After my morning shift at the Wyrm, I decided to walk uptown to the apartment building Sweetpea claimed she was staying. It was a nice complex with a doorman and everything. Once I got up to the apartment in question, I knocked on the door, which was answered by a short black girl with a bright smile.

"Hi," I stammered slightly, not expecting someone besides Lulu. "I'm looking for Lulu Barkly, do you happen to know her?" I asked politely, and her eyebrow rose itself before she turned into the apartment and called out.

"Lulu, someone's here for you!" she called, and a few moments later, the door opened more fully, revealing my tall, blue eyed friend.

"Toni," she smiled calmly before stepping forth and pulling me in for a big, comfy hug. She was big and strong, but she knew her strength, and she knew how to give a good hug.

"I missed you, Lu." I chuckled, and she beamed before stepping aside, letting me walk in.

"Josie, this is my friend, Toni. Ton, this is my girlfriend, Josie McCoy." she introduced of the shorter girl who waved with a small smile.

"Of McCoy Fashion Industries?" I asked, and she shrugged.

"My mom is Sierra McCoy." Her high pitched, almost dreamlike voice said nonchalantly.

"My girlfriend works for your mom." I grinned as she rounded the counter in the spacious kitchen to do something.

"Cheryl Blossom," she chuckled, "I went to school with her, we were best friends in high school." she offered.

"What happened?" I asked, and she shrugged.

"Her mom said she didn't want anything to do with me anymore." her voice was slightly disappointed. "Haven't seen her since she transferred sophomore year." she clicked her tongue as she put a knife away into the block on the breakfast bar. "A shame, I thought we were gonna be together forever."

"Like, romantically?" I asked, and she nodded, leaning on her forearms onto the counter.

"Yeah, though it looks like Cheryl has a type." Chuckled Josie, gesturing to my body.

"I'm flattered then," I countered.

"So anyway," exhaled Lu, who sat at a stool on the breakfast bar, "what brings you here, Topaz?" she queried, causing me to shrug.

"I just missed my best friend. Wanted to see what you're doing back in RIverdale." I answered, to which she scoffed.

"I never thought I'd be back here, but after graduation, I realized that I should come back here, with my mom and my brother." She reached across the counter to take Josie's hand in hers. "And Josie." the two exchanged a smile that made my heart melt. I was so happy that Lulu found someone who deserved her. "She promised she'll go back to LA with me in January though." she sighed happily.

"Well, if you need anything, I'm here. I'm just a call away." I assured.

She thanked me and we said our goodbyes before I decided to leave so I could go into work with the Blossoms.

"Good morning, Nana Rose." I grinned to the woman as I helped her out of bed.

"I trust you had fun at the Gala last night?" Suggested my girlfriend's grandmother.

I told her where I was going. Sure, she knew who I was. How could I ever keep something from Rosemary Blossom?

"I did," I grinned, my smile soft as I recollected the way Cheryl looked the night before.

"You looked beautiful. I saw on the television last night." She winked as I helped her into her chair.

"Thank you, Nana Rose."

"And my granddaughter," she insisted, "she seemed to have known as much though, considering the fact that she used it to her advantage for you and Miz Lodge." She said slyly and my jaw went slack.

"I-I'm sorry, I wanted to-" she cut me off with her hand in the air.

"No need to explain yourself, Miz Topaz. I'd be a fool to assume that someone as beautiful and captivating as Cheryl would remain virginous." she blunted, toying with her wedding ring between her fingertips. "Especially when joined with someone as young and aesthetically pleasing as Antoinette Topaz." she commended, causing me to grin, my brow risen in amusement.

"Nana, did you just call me pretty?" I asked, flattered, and she nodded.

"I'm old, Toni, not blind." she quipped.

"Good point," I shrugged.

"Now, I trust you've taken a moment to look at the way the media has taken news of your so-called relationship with Veronica Lodge?" She assumed.

"No, actually. I went straight to bed when I got home."

"Cheryl got home two hours after my son, Miz Topaz. Sleeping is hardly what you were doing in bed." She claimed.

"Stop calling me out, Nana Rose." I groaned as I turned her chair around and rolled her out of the room.

...

"Roused Rabbits Voltage and Veronica; the Happy Couple's Gala Adventures." I read aloud from an article I'd found on Twitter, causing Veronica to laugh.

"I can't believe it worked." she huffed in relief. "Daddy really likes Voltage too, Toni." The heiress voiced from across the room on the far end of my sectional.

"You're welcome." Cheryl boasted as she walked into the room from the kitchen with a cup of tea for both her and I. She cuddled into my side and patted her lap for Yoshi to jump on her lap.

"Are we gonna talk about what happened in that bathroom?" Veronica asked bashfully, her voice trembling slightly.

"No," shrugged Cheryl. "I don't like you. I gave you a taste of a drug you can't have again. That's the end of it." She finished, but Veronica was still lost. She looked at me with a plea in her eyes, to which I shrugged.

"I was only into it because Cheryl was there. Sorry, Ronnie."

"Don't apologize to her, TT. She deserved it." Cheryl demanded coldly.

"Right. I have to go. Duty calls." Veronica sighed as she stood up and took her leave through the doorway.

"Why are you being so cold?" I asked of my beloved, causing Cheryl to roll her eyes.

"I wouldn't be upset if that woman was killed by the very thing she fears the most." The woman insisted. "She came into your life and made it so much more confusing than it already is, with these abilities you can barely control. It isn't fair, and I won't dare lose you to someone who's only gonna make your life more complicated." She insisted, her arms crossing over her chest.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" I inquired, "I don't love her, I barely even tolerate her as a person, Cheryl." I promised. "I just want you. You make me happy, and you make my life full." I swore, taking her chin under my finger and kissing her lips. "You make my heart full." I whispered against her mouth, my tongue stroking the bottom of the two. I pulled away and placed the tea on the table beside me, then took hers and did the same. "I love you," I whispered, climbing over her, causing Yoshi to get down and go into the room, "and only you." I finished when I was straddling my girlfriend. She was looking up at me, her eyes deep and soft. I could feel something in her change. It could've just been her attitude, shifting from one of anger, malice and resentment to one of love, adoration and honest contentment. But I think it was her heart. Changing for the better from the nature of the Blossom blood.

She reached a hand up to caress my jaw, her thumb stroking my cheek, just below my eyes. I could feel my eyes buzzing with something different.

"Your pupils are purple," she whispered, a soft grin on her lips as we resonated together. "It's not noticeable from further away, and I've noticed before," she explained. "Nobody else can see it, because nobody dare get this close to you." Her voice trembled and I watched her eyes leak as she cried in my arms. "I don't want anyone else to see the purple in your eyes." She sniffled.

"Hey," I whispered, weaving my arm around hers so I could bring my hand upon her face, the cheek opposite mine. "This is yours." I whispered, holding her doe eyes in my embrace. I took her hand in mine and pressed it against my chest where my heart was. "This is yours." I promised.

She looked between my eyes, as though searching for the slightest hint of doubt, or uncertainty. She surely found nothing.

I felt her exhale in relief before surging forward and kissing my lips with a passion that brought a clench to my heart.

Her lips latched with mine, and she drank in my taste, holding my waist from below me as I rolled into her. My hands slithered beneath her sleep top and caressed the swell under her breasts.

Her chest heaved beneath my hands and hers took my wrists, pulling them further up. I came into contact with her nipples as they stood to attention. I hummed and used my teeth to pull her top over her beautiful pale breasts.

My lips kissed her left breast, my right hand trailing up and down her side, from her ribs to her hip. I closed my lips around her nipple and reveled in the melody of her soft, angelic moans.

Her hands came up and tugged on my hair, oddly causing me slight pain as she guided my head on her chest by my hair.

I nibbled on one bud, causing her to gasp and pull my hair tightly, causing me to hiss in pain.

I sat up in confusion, and Cheryl propped herself on her elbows in concern, looking at me with knitted brows.

"Is everything okay?" She asked bashfully and I closed my eyes for a moment to process what just happened.

"Pain is such a foreign feeling," I grunted before getting off of my girlfriend and heading toward the kitchen. She stood up and followed me as I opened a draw to pull out a fork.

"What happened?" She asked, and I blinked for a moment before driving the fork with one hand into the top of the other. "Toni!" She called over my gasp and groan of pain. I hissed and licked my new wound as it bled. "What the hell are you doing?!" She screeched.

...

"It appears you're on your menstrual cycle, Miz Topaz." Diagnosed Dr. Smithers, putting his stethoscope back around his neck.

"What?" Asked both Cheryl and I in confusion.

"Think about it," Smithers required, "you woke up with cramps around this time last month, this month you're feeling pain. Your hormone levels are through the roof, and you're bloated." He explained, and I reeled back in offense.

"Did you just call my girlfriend fat?" Cheryl asked, equally as offended as I was.

"It also seems you've synced up." he sighed, sitting in a chair in his lab.

"I'm not on my period," scoffed my girlfriend. "I'm not bleeding."

"Well, a side effect of this drug is that there is no bleeding on your period." he brought to light. "I'm not sure of the reason behind this phenomenon, but I believe you release your eggs in the same way a man releases sperm; through ejaculation." He explained, and I exchanged a look with Cheryl before looking back to him.

"Does that mean I release more than one egg a month?" I asked in confusion, and he sighed.

"No. Though according to your X-rays, you've grown a new set of organs." He explained, hanging up the pictures on a clip in front of the lights. "This," he pointed at a circular marking near what seemed to be my fallopian tubes. "it creates eggs to replace each one you release."

"Are you saying we have an endless supply of eggs?" Cheryl asked, her hands on her temples to keep herself calm.

"Yes," he said simply. "Hormone levels are through the roof for you two because you were both exposed to radiation from the drug."

"At least we don't have to bleed anymore." I shrugged, content with the news.

"Yes, but heed my warning; you are not invincible while going through your menstrual cycle. You are not bulletproof, so please stay under the radar when menstruating."

Oh boy.

"I like that you can feel pain sometimes," Shrugged Cheryl as we walked hand in hand through the streets of downtown Riverdale.

"Why is that?" I queried with a slight smile. She smirked deviously before punching me on the arm, causing me to hiss and hold my bicep as I laughed and bumped Cheryl's shoulder with mine.

"We can finally be a little normal again." She grinned, ad before I could say anything, my eye caught a red head of hair. Upon realizing that Penelope Blossom was walking in front of us, I pulled Cheryl and ran with her in my grasp at lightning speed until we were in an alley, safe from Cheryl's mom. "God!" She gasped, stumbling away from me to try and breathe normally again.

"I'm sorry," I laughed nervously, rubbing Cheryl's back softly, "I saw your mom."

"I guess we're not so normal anymore," sighed Cheryl, her smile lost in her conflicted gaze. She wrapped her arms around herself and stepped out toward the street where she sat with on the curb. I sat beside her and just looked at her in silence so she could think clearly. "I'm sick of running from my mom, baby." Cheryl muttered to herself. I rubbed her lower back with my right hand and leaned my chin on her shoulder as we sat in silence for an mya few more moments. "Ever since I was a kid, she has dictated my sexuality." she admitted, and I sighed, recalling the words uttered by Lulu's girlfriend from a few days prior.

"Yeah, my... uh, friend, Josie said Penelope told her you hated her or something before you could get serious." I recollected, and she met my eyes deeply.

"Really?" she asked in shock, "no wonder she stopped visiting." she sighed, running her hands down her face stressfully.

"Well, I support you in whatever you want, Cheryl." I promised, pressing a kiss to the fabric of her jacket clad shoulder.

"Well, maybe coming out isn't a terrible idea." she considered, and I grinned.

"I know I didn't feel that way when I came out." I encouraged. "No rush, and no pressure though," I ran my fingers through her hair softly.

"Well, I think it's a little more complicated, Toni. She obviously knows of my attraction to other girls, she just doesn't know that you happen to be the girl. You could get fired if I told her." She warned.

"I'll miss your grandma, but you're worth it. I could just pick up some more shifts at the Wyrm." I assured with a soft shrug, and she turned her gaze to me for a moment before surging forward and capturing my lips in a kiss. My chest heaved as she darted her tongue inside of my mouth, stroking my own tongue with hers. I grew excited, and surged back, until it seemed to be a soft duel of our muscles as our heads moved back and forth, my hand capturing her thigh as she tugged on my hair deliciously, the pain something I could enjoy. She pulled away, the two of us breathing heavily.

"We're gonna tell my parents about us." she smiled.

"I love you," I whispered.

"I love you more." Her grin was enough to power the city, and I stood up, taking her hand so she could make it to her feet. We started walking down the street again as the sun began to set. It was a happy walk home, me laughing and singing a little tune as we danced down the street, hand in hand without a care in the world.

From where we were, we had to pass by the dump in order to get to my apartment, so we decided to be quiet as we walked by, hoping not to come across any Ghoulies.

Though, of course, there was no reason for that to work in our favor.

"We meet again, don't we, Serpent?" called someone from behind us, and my hold on Cheryl's hand tightened, my legs moving to walk faster. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" he called, his tone more angry than before. I pulled Cheryl to walk in front of me, in case on of them had a gun.

"We're not on your terf, Ghoulie!" I shouted, not turning around. "There's a fence separating me from the dump, so just let us on our way!" I insisted, and I heard him laugh, followed by the sound of a gun clicking.

"My best friend spent week in the hospital because of you, freak." he called over his gun.

"He shouldn't have shot at me!" I called, still walking.

"You shouldn't have trespassed!" he screeched, his voice cracking. I heard him running behind me, so I took Cheryl's hand and drug her behind me, determined to get her away from this drug dealer. I picked her up, and was about to take off in flight when I heard a gunshot go off. I watched as the bullet just grazed Cheryl's hair, my face in horror. I huffed in fear, looking at a similar look in the eyes of my beloved. I kicked off of the ground and took off in flight with Cheryl in my arms to get her to safety. I left her just a few block away in the safety of my apartment, not even taking the time to check her safety before replacing my street clothes with my uniform and jumping out of my window and going back to the dump.

I landed directly in front of the man, who jumped at the suddenness of my landing. He cocked his gun and looked at me, a mischievous look in his eyes and smile on his lips. I was a foot away, and I felt his gun against my hip.

"What are you gonna do, Voltage?" he asked with a daring laugh.

"Last time I checked," I reached out and snatched his neck within the grasp of my hand. "I'm bulletproof." I lied, using my free hand to take his gun I turned him and slammed him against the fence, causing it to rattle and shake. I watched as his eyes bulged out of his head, his hands scratching at my arm, trying to pry my hand from his neck. I held the gun up by the barrel and squeezed, causing it to crush in my grip. I dropped the broken weapon on the ground and landed a punch to his jaw, causing him to let out a loud whimper. "That's my best friend you just shot at for no reason, kid." I whispered in his ear. "For the second time." My grip on his throat tightened, causing him to gasp and choke for air.

"See, usually, I'm for justice and what's right," I assured before reaching between his legs and taking a heavy grip to his groin, where he let out a bloodcurdling scream. I pulled on the grip I had over his pants and twisted my hand. "But I don't respond well to threats." His body seized, arms flailing as he begged me to let him go with his eyes. I let go of him, dropping him to the ground, where he rolled over to his side while he cupped himself and cried. "If you or another Ghoulie becomes my problem again, I'll skin you all alive. And I'll save you for last, just so you can watch everyone die." With that, I jumped up to take off into flight.

Only, I was yanked back to the ground by my ankle. I grunted and turned around to look at the force that stopped me.

"In a rush, are we?"

"You!" I hissed, rushing to my feet to make contact with those glowing blue eyes. Upon closer inspection, it seemed he was wearing a suit, one that connected wires from his eyes, down his arms, to his legs.

"So nice to bump into you again, Miz Voltage," chuckled the deep voice, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

"What the fuck do you want from me?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Haven't I already made it obvious what I want from you, my dear child?" He asked, pacing back and forth in front of me, the Ghoulie nowhere to be seen.

"Why? I never did anything to you." I insisted, and he shook his head.

"I've been working for years with Jingle Jangle to obtain what you have, and all you had to do was drown in it?" he laughed, shaking his head softly. "I don't believe that story that's been floating around the media, about how you were hit by a bus, or whatever other tall tale that has been shared." He waved off my excuse as though he was batting a fly from his face. "I know what that serum was meant for, and I think you destroyed my barn while stealing it from me."

"Stealing what?" I asked, my tone as oblivious as I could muster.

"The Jingle Jangle serum!" He growled, not willing me to move a muscle. "My barn was destroyed, and it was filled. Somehow, you managed to make it work, and I want to know what you did." He insisted, and I tilted my head, suddenly making the connection on as to who this man was.

"I know who you are," I mumbled, and he laughed.

"Say my name, child, go ahead, see if you can even get the first Syllable out before I slit your throat." He warned. I stepped closer, until we were three feet away from each other.

"You're forgetting that my skin is steel. I'm impenetrable." I chuckled cockily, and he joined in before snatching me up by the throat. I gasped, having been caught off guard as he clamped my airways shut between his fists.

"I know everything there is to know about that serum, you pathetic adolescent. I helped create it." He hissed, and I reached up to pry his hands away from my throat, which proved to be an easy task, especially with how his hand crumbled beneath my fingertips.

He groaned and gasped as I bent his hand backward, and released his grip, letting me land on my feet. I gasped for air, holding my neck as I fought to refill my lungs with breath, something I wasn't used to.

"What makes you think your technology is even gonna come close to what I have?" I coughed.

"I don't!" I growled, "Which is why I need you! I need to see what I did wrong with myself by cutting you open and seeing what you have that I don't." he grunted as he held his wounded hand in his uninjured limb.

"I assure you, I couldn't help you." I reasoned, and he laughed.

"I'm certain you can, Miz Voltage. It's only a matter of time before I catch you sleeping, and when that time comes, you'll be on a metal table before you can open your eyes again. Everyone you love will be lost, and I'll finally have the abilities I need to make Riverdale mine." Something surged within me, and I felt my chest burn in raging fire. I charged at Clifford Blossom and landed atop him, landing blow after blow to him, watching as his face took more hits. I gripped the cord from his temple in my hand and ripped it off of him before jumping up to fly home.

I couldn't sleep that night, and neither could Cheryl. We sat upright in bed and just held each other as we sat in silence for what felt like ages.

"Your dad is the one who tried to kill Betty." I said suddenly, and her eyes caught mine in a slight panic.

"How do you know?" She asked, the tone in her voice sad, scared and uncertain.

"He said that his barn full of serum was destroyed just before I appeared. He thought I went after it. Cheryl, it didn't work for him and he's trying to dissect me like a frog to figure out why." The way I said it was calm, but the way she took my news was much less collective.

"You'll have to kill him." she whimpered.

"Cheryl, I can't kill your dad." I reasoned, my eyes deeply concerned for Cheryl's wellbeing.

"I care more about you than him." she shook her head, tears falling down her face as she said so. "I can't just let him kill the only thing that gives me purpose." she concluded. "Do what you have to do to keep him away from you for good, Toni." She permissed, taking my hand in hers from beneath the big black comforter we laid beneath. "Even if it means tearing this city to shreds, my daddy needs to be stopped. I believe in you." I felt my chest swell in fear for what was to come before swallowing my nerves, nodding, and scooting down on the bed to lay down, which she was able to do as well.

"We need to see if Smithers can figure out how it worked for me before Clifford does though."

But that was a mission for another day.


	13. 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prepare yourself for some intense shit kids. Buckle up

"Is she acting differently from before the accident?" Asked Archie of Hal Cooper, who sat at his desk across from the two of us.

"Yes, um, she's been.. Uh, purposely hurting herself." exhaled the nervous old man whose hands held each other to comfort himself. "Slamming her head against walls when she doesn't get what she wants, clawing her own arms and legs, screaming out of nowhere."

"Has she explained how she feels?" I inquired.

"Mostly trapped," he nodded, looking Archie in the eyes, but never fully meeting mine. "The other day she said she didn't want to be alive, and that she should've just died in that accident." he exhaled, running his hands over his face. "I wish her mother would come by more often," he grunted, his eyes sad.

"Her mother, sir?" Asked the redheaded officer, and he nodded.

"We split up when Betty was nine. She was always closer to her mom anyway, and I just wish she could help fix everything."

"I'm sorry to say, sir, but I don't think she'll ever be the same as before." Archie spoke up.

"Yeah," he sighed, "but they're letting me take her home in a week. She'll just be on watch." he sighed.

...

This interview was sad, to say the least. Betty was obviously not well, but at least she wasn't being abused or anything. After the interview, Cheryl and I were due to speak in depth with Doctor Smithers, who said he had some answers for what sets me apart from the man who so vehemently insisted upon trying to kill me. Or so I figure, it all seems so unclear, just what he wants, why he's so dead set on me, for whatever reason.

"Why does he look like me, but not?" I inquired to Smithers as he did his tests, injecting me with things, as well as Cheryl, who seemed much less compliant than I was.

"It seems he's recreated the sweetwater and injected himself," Suggested Smithers. "Though all the subjects who've wound up blue have had somewhat of an effect opposite you."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Cheryl asked with worry from a small bed beside me.

"It's all based on genetics, I hypothesize," exhaled the old man, "that could be why Cheryl doesn't have any abilities," he suggested, "rather than the earlier idea that the sweet water needed to enter the bloodstream."

"This doesn't make any sense!" shouted Cheryl, her fingers running through her hair. "You're supposed to be an expert on this, and even you don't know why this stranger is trying to kill my girlfriend?"

"I understand your frustration, Miz Blossom, but I can't tell you things I don't know the answers to." answered Smithers of Cheryl. "I have never experienced the effects of this serum on people, and I definitely never factored in the wickedness of the free will of man."

After another thirty minutes of arguing, Cheryl grew angry and stormed out, so I followed after, looking around for her on the dark, moonlit pier. It took but thirty seconds before my eyes caught a head of long, red hair facing away from me, the person who owned it sitting on the edge of the dock, feet dangling from the wood. I sighed and jogged up the wood toward my beloved before sitting with her.

"Why can't we have a normal relationship, where we kiss and hold hands in public, and where our biggest worry is what we're gonna have for dinner tonight?" Asked Cheryl, a tear falling from her right eye, allowing me to swipe my finger below it to take it away from the face that I've learned to know and love. I scooted closer to my beloved and pulled my mask up over my face so that I could lean my head against her shoulder.

"I don't know, Cheryl," I whispered, taking her hand in mine and fiddling with the tips of her fingers in mine. "But I think we were chosen for a reason." I tried, but Cheryl turned her eyes down to me, eyes leaking more rapidly now.

"Toni, don't you see? This is all because of me!" she sobbed softly. "If I hadn't gotten you into this mess, if my daddy didn't have the sweetwater, if I wasn't so scared to come out, it would be different!" Her voice cracked, and my chest ached, knowing Cheryl truly blamed herself. I turned my body toward my girlfriend, begging her to do the same, before cupping her cheek with my hand, my thumb stroking her cheek with a softness that helped me notice the way her body relaxed and her breathing faltered, a small puff of fog forming from said breath through the cold, dry air.

"You can't blame yourself, Cheryl," I muttered, my head turning to the side to catch her beautiful brown eyes in mine. "Your father's doing isn't what makes us who we are. Not as individuals, and definitely not as people." I assured, shaking my head for emphasis. I leaned in and pressed a soft, reassuring kiss to Cheryl's nose, stroking the skin where my lips where once I pulled away. "The only things that make me feel happy, that make me feel like I'm not completely useless in this world, are the Serpents, Voltage, and you." I admitted. "Without your father, I would've never gotten either. So I'm gonna thank him," I settled, not ready to explain to her that he was the one making attempts on our life. "This is well worth the hiding," I whispered, taking her hands in mine between us, pressing my lips against the top if hers, "you're worth being with."

"I love you so much." she whimpered, and I felt a tear itching at my eye as well. "I don't want you to get sick of the terrible things I've put you through and leave me and-" I cut her off before she could get carried away.

"Hey," I shook my head at her softly, "being Voltage, being with you-- they're the best things that have ever happened to me," I assured, "don't resent yourself, Cheryl," I nearly begged of the beautiful redhead before me. "All I do is for you, and it's worth the struggles, because I know it'll end with us being together." I watched as she grinned through her tears, her leg that hung from the pier swinging slowly as she fought back that smile I so lived for. I smiled back, taking one of her hands to my lips, looking up at her as I pressed the two surfaces of flesh together.

"How could I argue with that?" Asked a sniffling girlfriend of mine, a giggle falling from her lips and floating into my ears, engraving itself into my brain. I grinned and nodded, allowing her to squeal, throwing herself atop me so I was lying down on the wood we sat on. She kissed me, her hands resting on my chest as she leaned down to kiss me with a deep intent. My heart pounded in my head, and my body finally felt at ease for once. Her tongue massaged mine, and I hummed against her before gripping her hips and turning us around, then using my leverage to lift her up, her legs wrapped securely around my waist. Her hair dangled over our shoulders together as her lips quirked upward into the biggest, brightest, most enticing smile I had ever seen Cheryl muster.

"Let's go home," I whispered, watching as her eyes lit up with a fire that made my entire being glow, quite literally sometimes. Her forehead rested against mine, and without looking away from those brown orbs of magic, I bent my knees, lifting us into flight with an easiness that just made everything about this night better. Her arms were wrapped around my neck in a way that embraced me, that showed she wasn't afraid of me anymore.

We flew over Coney Island on the way back to Riverdale, so I decided to stop at the top of a skyscraper nearest the amusement park and turned Cheryl around, my arms wrapping around her waist as we looked on at the setting sun that hid behind the giant ferris wheel, the hues of blue, purple and orange reflecting off of the water on the other side of the island. The frost bit my nose, and nothing was on because of how cold it was, but maybe that's what made this night more magical, no screaming kids, no gross popcorn smell, nothing but the bright lights, the purple sky that was lit up by the dozing sun, and her.

Her.

Cheryl Blossom.

The beautiful woman with a heart of gold, and a mind that never failed to amaze me with every time it exposed itself to me. Each breath she took against me, it was a new second I spent loving her.

I changed into a normal outfit atop a roof once we got into our city, then we walked the streets late that night, hand in hand as the streets of Riverdale slowly tucked in for the night.

"I've started keeping a journal," Cheryl admitted suddenly as we walked toward my apartment, my arm laced around her waist.

"Yeah?" I spoke, "Is that why you've been so peaceful lately?" I inquired jokingly, and she simply rolled her eyes at me, bottom lip tucking beneath her top row of bright teeth.

"It's because, for once, I actually feel like I have something that can't be taken from me." She grinned, pulling on my hand so that I would fall against her strong, though just as soft embrace. The tips of her fingers stroked at the hair on the nape of my neck, the thumb of her other hand stroking my lower back, below the hem of my highly cropped shirt. "I know that when I close my eyes, or stop looking at you, I can just open my eyes and you'll still be there, staring me right back in the face." She pulled away, a grin on her face momentarily before she tugged on my hand so we could finish our walk toward my apartment. "I just want to ensure your safety, and the best way to do that is to make sure nobody is alive to put that in danger." I watched a sense of insecurity take over every inch of her face, her eyes casting downward, toward the ground, watching as she took longer, more confident strides than I did, my legs significantly shorter than hers. "I can't actually physically stop this man from pursuing you," Cheryl sighed, "so I have to make sure Smithers does his job so I know you'll come back to me."

"Well, the whole motivation behind living through all of this is coming back to you, so I won't stop fighting, so long as I know you're gonna be there for me to come home to." I grinned, watching as her eyes lit up.

"Home?" She queried, causing me to chuckle.

"Well, yeah, you've practically been living with me." I shrugged softly, before being forced to stop in my tracks as Cheryl held me back.

"Why don't we make that official?" she asked suddenly, and I rose my brow.

"What are you saying?" I inquired.

"Let's move in together!" she chuckled, and I blinked for a moment, a laugh falling from my lips.

"O-okay!" I breathed.

"Really?" Whispered my girlfriend, and I nodded.

"Yeah!" I laughed, yet again, "Nothing would make me happier." I hummed, then she squealed, throwing her arms around my neck and kissing my lips deeply, the bright lights of the town shining down on us, my heart glowing brighter than any one of those lights could ever muster.

"I love you so much," mumbled Cheryl as she laid her head on my shoulder softly.

"I love you too, Cheryl." I grinned against her, my worries all flying away as I revelled in the embrace of the woman I so loved.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Chuckled a deep, familiar voice.

"Daddy," whispered Cheryl, her breath falling ragged, her body rigid. "Oh God, Toni, what do we do?" She cried in my ear, and I felt my body buzz in the way it did when danger was near. I opened my eyes slowly, and saw that ever burning head of blue hair, the same glowing blue eyes, same ugly smirk.

"Oh, hi, Mister Blossom." I said casually, turning to whisper in Cheryl's ear, "Don't turn around, don't make your face visible." I advised. It was obvious that Cheryl was scared of being outed, whereas I feared something much worse. Something that could put the life of the woman I love on the line, especially when he doesn't know who the girl I was holding is. He could know who I am, and he could quite possibly kill cheryl because of the mere fact that I feel so deeply for her. To be honest, it might help this situation if Clifford knew I was with Cheryl, but it could crush her. I wasn't protecting Cheryl from him as much as I was protecting her from the truth; the fact that her father was a monster. "I was just enjoying a night out with a friend of mine." I tried as I walked closer to him and further from her, placing myself between the two of them.

"Please," Chuckled Clifford, "I know who that is, and I don't care that you're... an item." he rolled his eyes at his words, and I watched through the corner of my eye as Cheryl turned around slowly. I heard her gasp, nearly felt it in my soul.

"Daddy?" She whispered, and he scoffed.

"As if you didn't see this coming." he predicted, "I'm the one who helped create the serum, it was in my cellar." he flicked his wrist in disdain. "I managed to save a few drops after you so rudely destroyed my supply."

"That wasn't-" I hushed Cheryl by covering her mouth with my hand for a moment.

"Don't try and defend yourself in front of him, Cheryl." I insisted. "Don't get worked up over his bullshit."

"Are you really going to poke the bear, Miz Topaz?" Clifford asked as he slowly walked closer. I stood back slightly, allowing Cheryl to get behind me. "Because right now, this bear wants to rip your heart out and feast on it."

"I won't let you hurt her, daddy!" Shouted Cheryl before stepping in front of me.

"Hurt?" He tilted his head, a wicked grin on his lips, a tilt in his brow as he continued his slow, torturous trek toward me. "See, here I was, under the impression that there was no hurting Voltage," he was face-to-face with Cheryl, "I was just going to hurt you, and hope she comes quietly." I felt Cheryl swallow a lump in her throat, and as fast as I could blink, my girlfriend's neck was in the grasp of her father.

"No!" I screeched as he pulled her away from me, lifting her off the ground, causing her to thrash about, gasping for air, clawing at his hand that clasped itself around the middle of her throat.

"Not hurting you just sounds like no fun though, doesn't it?" he laughed, and my body buzzed for the last time before my body burst into its usual light show. I ran forward and slammed into him, causing him to drop his offspring, who coughed and choked, holding her neck to gain her breath back.

"Leave, you disgusting piece of shit!" I screamed of the man who stood with a smug look on his face, slowly closing the gap between us.

"I'm afraid I can't lose the only thing that stands in the way of my immortality." Clifford insisted before reaching out to take my throat, only for me to take both his hands in my grip and squeeze. I felt the bones falter beneath my tightening grip, and he gasped, the veins in his neck sticking out as he tried not to scream.

"Toni?" I heard the familiar voice, and instinctually let the man's hands go to turn around and face the woman who called my name.

"Betty, what are you doing out of the hospital?" I asked in confusion, and the blonde shrugged, her hair messy, the gown she was wearing tattered and dirty.

"The window in my room was open and I climbed out. I don't like being there," she cried, and I nodded before rushing to her side to hug her.

"I know, sweetie," I assured, "but they're making you all better, so we gotta get you back. Can I take you back there?"

"No!" she whimpered, "It's always cold, and everyone there yells at me. My roommate says she'll skin me in my sleep!"

"Hey, I'm not gonna let her, or anyone else hurt you, okay?" I promised, and began to pull her back in the direction of the hospital. "Cheryl, let's go." I whispered to her, my eyes flickering to where she was looking, at her father, who struggled to stand up, his breathing difficult.

"You're not going anywhere!" He coughed as he stood to his feet, holding his broken hands in one another. "Face me now, or I disect you later!" Clifford's voice was scratchy,the rage in his eyes enough to scare even me.

"I like to give my enemies a fighting chance." I justified before running toward my girlfriend with super speed to grab her by the waist, then to Betty to do the same. I took off in flight and headed toward the mental hospital, where I landed on the roof and let the two women out of my arms.

"Are you okay, baby?" I asked of Cheryl, whose eyes were still wide, hands shaking. I Took her face in my hands and looked between her eyes, which are in absolute shock, and pain.

"I can't believe my own dad just tried to kill me." Cheryl whimpered, her eyes spilling with tears as she held herself.

"You're Voltage, Toni?" Betty asked, and I sighed before nodding. "And you're with her?" she inquired, and I nodded again. "Veronica left me because she loves you," she looked down to her feet. "But you went to the ball with her, and everyone heard you having sex!" she screeched, and she began to vibrate, her hands in fists as her jaw quivered. "You stole my girlfriend from me and cheated on yours!" she screamed, and pulled something shiny from beneath her gown. Before I could make out what it was, she was charging toward me, the sharp object in my chest before I could blink.

"No!" I heard Cheryl call, and my eyes were dropping as I took the handle of what was obviously a knife. I groaned as I pulled on the handle, my skin and muscle burning as I dragged the blade across it all over again on the way out. "Toni!"

"Don't come any closer!" Betty screamed at Cheryl, causing her to stop her trek toward me. I felt the bite of the cold air around me as I faltered forward a little, my chest throbbing painfully as I grabbed it.

"Betty," I grunted, "please, don't do this," my breathing was laboured, a gush of salty, warm copper tasting liquid came up from my throat. I coughed, and spat a large mouth full of blood out onto the ground below me. I dropped the knife from my hand onto the ground. "I don't love Veronica, I swear!" I coughed, and she leaned down to grab the knife, only for Cheryl to push her out of the way to grab it herself. "Cheryl, stop!" I called, and the teary eyed woman shook her head.

"No, I can't lose you!" she cried.

"She doesn't love you anyway," Betty laughed, her hand out in front of her as she neared Cheryl. My body buzzed as I tried to will myself to fly, to run, to do something; anything at all. But all I could do was breathe shallowly, blood pouring from my chest. "She loved me first, and obviously she had it in her to have sex with somebody else, so it's obvious you're nothing to her."

"Shut up," Whimpered Cheryl, hand wielding the weapon shaking as she stood, full of fear. "I'm gonna call the police," she whispered, reaching into her pocket for her cellphone, only to be interrupted.

"I see she managed in a matter of minutes to do what I couldn't in weeks," chuckled the voice of Clifford Blossom as he flew overhead, landing behind Cheryl and taking the weapon before she could even defend herself. He threw the knife to Betty, landing it at her feet, and took Cheryl by the throat, his hands somehow no longer broken, his knuckles white as his fist closed around her neck. "Now," he hummed, walking toward the edge of the roof and holding Cheryl's body dangling toward the ledge. "Come quietly or I'll make you watch her die, and then I'll kill you slowly and painfully."

"Don't!" Choked Cheryl, scratching the back of her father's hand and prying at the flesh with her nails. "L-let," she choked, "Let me die, run, baby!" My heart pounded in my chest and I coughed up another mouth full of blood as I stumbled forward, to be stopped by the blade of Betty's knife on my neck.

"Don't make a move." She growled, and I sobbed. Everything about this moment devastated me, but I knew I couldn't do anything about this.

"Fine." I coughed, "But I want Betty to get her proper treatment. Take her back down to the lobby, and let her go."

"Lay off," Demanded Clifford of Betty, and she sighed before stepping away from me.

"No!" Cheryl wailed as her father pushed her back toward to the roof, where she fell on her knees. She stood up and ran as fast as she could to me, her arms wrapping around me. I grunted, and fell to the ground, where Cheryl dropped to her knees and cried, holding me, her hands pressing down on the wound in my chest, the pain making me cry out. She kissed my lips, her lips salty from the tears pouring down her face. "Go put her where she belongs!" Cheryl screamed to her father, "I can't fucking move her, the door to the roof is probably locked, just let me have some time with my girlfriend." she sobs in her voice made me wish I was already dead.

"I love you so much, Cheryl," I whispered, caressing her cheek with my hand, blood on her face from my hand where I dried to keep my own blood inside of me. "I wish we could have had a longer time together," I cried, my eyes aching, but my heart at peace knowing these are the last words, this is the last thing I would see before I die.

I was okay with that.

This was okay.

"I hope you can find someone who loves you just as much as I love you." I whimpered, my breath harsh, my head swimming as I felt myself perrish. "I'm going to die now, and I'm okay with that because you were the best thing that ever happened to me. Thank you, Cheryl, for making me the happiest I've ever been."

"No," Cheryl sobbed, shaking her head as she sobbed, her lips falling on mine as her body shook in sobs. "You can't leave me, I'm not done," her face contorted, her eyes scrunched, lips twisted as she sobbed, "We're not done!" she screamed, "We're not done, we're not done, we're not done!!!" she bawled, "Don't leave me, Toni, please, please, don't leave me!"

"No, I'm not going back!" Screeched Betty, and I heard her running, before Cheryl was lifted out of my arms.

"Cheryl?" I coughed, "Cheryl!?" I mustered the strength to look up, just as Betty, who stood on the edge of the roof with her, drove the knife into the neck of my beloved. She choked, and her eyes found me, before the blade moved inside of her throat, causing her to go limp and fall down, off the side of the building. "NO!!!!!" I screamed, the sound ripping my throat in half as I mustered all the strength left in my body to stand up. The pain in my body was suddenly gone, and I screamed as I ran toward the blonde woman and shoved her off the top of the building. I flew toward the side of the building and pushed her into the side of the building opposite this hospital, shattering the glass of each window we came across. She couldn't even fight back, as she was too busy trying not to fall from y grip, but it wasn't like I was ready to drop her, not with the death grip I myself had on her throat. I punched her face hard once, and used a bout of force to drop her into the building through the now broken window. She grunted as we fell onto the ground of the large, empty room. I laid a fist onto her face, and she cried, blood pouring from her nose. I didn't blink again before hitting her again, over and over again, until she stopped moving. 

I pulled away and looked at her face, the way it bled and gushed, her face nearly unrecognizable through the blood, broken bones and missing teeth.

"Oh God," I sobbed, my eyes spilling before I thought to leap down to the floor where I saw a pool of red on the ground. I landed on the ground and ran to the limp body on the ground, red hair sprawled out on the dark, damp concrete.

It didn't feel real, my eyes were hazy, my heart pounding so loud in my chest that it banged on my ear drums and stopped all sound, the sirens around me almost inaudible. I fell to my knees, and I gouged the expressionless void on her face, her eyes wide open, jaw slack. She fell, neck beneath her chest, legs suspended in the air as blood poured from her neck and her head. It was unbelievable, in the most literal sense of the word. We were just talking about how we'd be living together, ready to see each other forever and love each other forever, but instead, I was cursed to watch her die. I was okay with death, knowing she'd be okay, but this pain was so much, that I'm almost happy I was the one who had to endure this pain; the pain that hurts more than any physical pain I could ever experience.

"No," I cried softly, my head falling back as I closed my eyes and screamed at the top of my lungs, "NO!!!!" I wailed, "NO, NO, NO, NO, God, no, baby, come back!" I screamed, pulling the limp, broken body into me, praying to everything that she could somehow come back to me. "Cheryl," I whimpered, my body falling limp against hers as I held her against me from behind, begging she'd come back to me, screaming into her cold, dead back until the ambulance came to our aid. The pain in my chest from the knife wound suddenly didn't matter anymore, because the pain in my chest was immeasurably more painful, indescribably more deep than what a knife could damage me with. I just hoped I'd be dead after this, I wanted the blood to leave my body and kill me so I could be with Cheryl again.

When the ambulance came, I didn't let them move me away from her. I made them put us in the little bus together. I just curled into Cheryl's dead body and sobbed until they put me under for surgery.

This was it.

Chery was dead.

Truly, really, honestly dead.

Dead.

Departed.

She passed away.

Gone.

In a better place.

No matter how it was phrased, it was still just as painful.

Cheryl Blossom, the love of my life is dead.

A part of me is ever dead.


	14. 13

The next week was chaos. Everyone found out who I was after the incident of that night without my costume, so I was faced with cameras and paparazzi everywhere, as was Veronica, who was rumored to be dating me for those short few weeks. It was awful, not being able to mourn the death of one of the only people you care about because there were eyes everywhere, watching, waiting for some kind of new thing to touch up on.

I was passed up for any kind of punishment for Betty's death, considering the fact she was the one who killed Cheryl and caused pain to me in an attempt to make me meet the same fate as my late lover.

I quit my job with the Blossoms and said my last goodbyes to Nana Rose when I knew Clifford wasn't in town.

"I'm gonna miss her so much, Nana." I whimpered, tears falling from my eyes as the two of us sat on Cheryl's big, cold, empty bed. She insisted I lie my head in her lap and ran her fingers through my brown hair.

"I will too," whispered the old woman, "so sudden," she hummed, "I just hope you'll be alright, Miz Topaz."

"I don't know," I said in all honesty, using the back of my hand to wipe away my tears. "I can't stop crying, Nana Rose, it's like everything inside of me is on fire, and the only way it can be put out is by letting me die."

"I doubt my Cheryl would want that, Toni." Nana Rose assured.

"I promised you that I'd keep her safe," I shook my head, "I broke my promise to you, I'm so sorry."

"What is more important is that she was willing to die in your place, and that you were willing to do the same. You'll always have her in your heart, Antoinette."

That visit had only inhibited me from moving me on, if anything, as I'd lost two people I cared for that week.

I spent a lot of time sulking around the apartment, crying about everything inside, the pictures of us that now had taken up the majority of our walls were just constant reminders that I could never again feel so happy and fulfilled with a life that would be lived without the one and only Cheryl Blossom. Every time I saw a picture of her smile, it reminded me of the fact that I'd never see it again in real time. Every time I saw Yoshi bark, or whimper at the door for her, it reminds me of how he'll never be able to cuddle her again. When I'd lay on the bed, I'd hold her pillow close against my chest and smell it, revelling in the pure smell of her and only her. It made me see her hair when I blinked. When I sat on the couch, I saw that red blanket of hers, and cry at how it sat there, waiting for Cheryl to pick it up and curl against it for the next time it would be used. The clothes in the dirty hamper, just waiting to be washed, the red toothbrush on the counter in the bathroom, ready to be rinsed and utilized. Me, waiting for something that'll never come again.

I'd lay in bed and cuddle that pillow, sleep on her side of the bed, and I'd cry into the same silken pillow sham that didn't match the ones she bought for our bed. We were just one day away from living together. In fact, we were just a few minutes away from living together, as we likely would've gotten home, kicked off our shoes, taken a shower and made love. Then we would've slept in until noon, and I would've opened my eyes to see her, just as I would've for the rest of my life.

Unfortunately, I was stuck crying into her pillow and blaming myself for losing the only two people I ever truly loved.

It was another week of this before a knock came to my door, letting itself into my house in the form of a concerned Lulu. She closed the door harshly before storming into my room and sitting beside me on my bed.

"I wish I could've met her," She said suddenly, "Don't forget, her funeral is today." She recalled, and I sighed.

"I don't want her to be dead, Lulu." It came out broken and sad, and she placed her hand over mine, running her thumb across the back of my knuckles.

"Nobody does, babes." Her voice was tender, her presence something I never knew I needed. I sat up and she opened her arms, inviting into them so she could enclose me with a bout of comfort I hadn't felt since the day my beloved was killed. I curled into her lap and cried against her chest, where she freely let me do so for about an hour. She pressed a kiss to my forehead and rubbed my temples every few minutes when she felt like my sobs grew uncontrollable.

"I'm going back to LA next month." Piped Lulu with a soft, sad sigh, "If you want to tag along, Josie and I are leaving right after Christmas. We have a two bedroom, so you'll have your own room. I can check with a friend of mine about getting you hooked up with a barista job. It isn't the same as working at the Wyrm, but it would be good for you to get away, even if it's just for a few months." A tear fell from my eye again, thinking about leaving the place I fell for her in. "FP said he'd keep the apartment open, so you can leave everything here if you don't want to commit to Los Angeles. He even offered to have Jug come up and clean it every week, so it doesn't grow dust or mold or spiders, in case it is a long-term thing."

"You did all that for me?" I sniffled, trying to blink away the ever threatening tears.

"Of course, Tiny." She smiled softly, "You helped me when I needed it, so I'm here for anything. I'll give you some time to think about it." That night really just resulted in us laying in bed together, me falling asleep to the sound of a song Lulu hummed in my ear as she ran her fingers through my hair. It was the first night I actually got any sleep since I got home from the hospital, and Lulu was the first person who didn't ask me about that night, or grill me about being Voltage, or what I was gonna do now that everyone knew who I was.

Lulu just made it about me, losing the woman I loved. There was no motives to her visit, other than to assure her friend that she had someone whom she could count on.

The funeral was long and painstaking for me. All of these people only there because she was the daughter of a man who employed about half the town in some way or another. It was beautiful though, from the violins playing, to the archer's salute from people she knew back when she practiced. I stayed in the back, watching from afar as these strangers all said their half-hearted goodbyes. Her father came up from behind me with a devilish look in his eye.

"I decided to go with closed casket. Didn't want anyone to see the gash on her head, or in her neck."

I wiped my tears and my hair lit itself up in defense, causing Clifford to put his hands up in surrender.

"I'll cut you some slack today, I'm not a monster." he assured, "After this, I'm not going to stop until you're lying on a silver table, cut open and drained." his voice was low and devious, something that made me want to cut the skin off of his face from the neck up.

I couldn't. I was in too much pain to move.

"Until we meet again, Miz Topaz." he laughed before walking away slowly, peering at me over his shoulder before leaving me for his wife and mother.

I didn't get close to the casket. I couldn't, or I would've caused a scene. I couldn't even look at her picture, or I'd keep crying.

Needless to say, I ended up going with her. It was hard, because I spent all of Christmas Eve packing to leave Riverdale, when I had spent so many hours before Cheryl died, thinking about what we would do together, what I'd get her, where I'd take her.

Then, there I was. Crying over her stuff as I packed a suitcase to leave for God knows how long.

I was looking for my serpent jacket under my bed when I found a red, college ruled notebook under Cheryl's side of the bed. I opened it and immediately recognized her neat, curly handwriting scrawled across the first page of this notebook.

Dearest Diary, It read.

I've never spent much of my life overcome with emotion, but when I became better acquainted with Toni, it was like every emotion I never felt has decided to sneak up and consume me. It was never a bad thing, however, as Toni never made me fear my emotions. She never once made me feel like I was doing too much or trying too hard to be hers, or to make her love me. She just loves me, unconditionally, and this has contributed to all the emotions I feel. These emotions are what have compelled me to carry a journal, so to let them out positively without burdening Toni. God, there's so much about Toni that consumes me with emotion. The way she looks at me, as though I'm the only thing on this God forsaken planet that matters. The way she laughs at me, like everything I do is worthy of joy. God, I could hear her laugh every day for the rest of eternity and never grow tired of it. Paired with that heavenly smile, that laugh makes me swoon. It makes me forget about the pain I've endured throughout my life. It makes me disregard all doubts and fears I've ever had for the world. It makes me lose care for the idea that the world is senseless, takes away the notion that life is arbitrary and redundant. The way my name rolls off her tongue is like a song in itself, but when she sings to me while I pretend to be asleep, it's like my body and soul are in two different places, My body is against her in this bed, in the apartment, above this bar, but my soul is entwined with hers, flowing free in the universe, amongst the other satisfied souls in the vast existence of us. The way she holds me, it's bittersweet, because I know it'll have to end, and we'll be forced to leave this sanctuary of peace and love, and enter the real world, where I have to act as though this woman, this beautiful, wonderful, fantastically sensational woman means absolutely nothing to me. One day, one glorious, wonderful, dream of a day, I'll be able to hold her hand in public and scream from the top of the highest skyscraper, just who she is to me. The only person in the world who matters to me. The woman I love more than my own breath. Antoinette Penelope Topaz.

I couldn't will myself to read another entry, my tears staining the page, the ink bleeding over to the words on the page, making them barely visible.

I took that journal on the plane with me and ready every last entry while cuddling with Yoshi on the 4 hour flight where I couldn't sleep. I sobbed at every page, every time she gushed in every different way, every time she said she loved me, every time she talked about what she loved about me. The lady next to me eventually asked me what was wrong, and I explained that the love of my life died; that she left a journal and how she was exactly what she showed me to be, only that she loved and cherished me so much more than I ever could've imagined.

She gave me her sympathies, and told me about how her first husband died in the war, and she explained that it never goes away. It hurt, hearing this from someone who had spent forty years mourning the death of someone who was never coming back.

"Death isn't sad, dear child," explained the old woman, "but the loss that comes with it is. The idea that you'll never get to see them." she laid her hand over mine and read the entries together. I looked up and noticed the way her brown eyes leaked her own slight tears.

"Your girlfriend was quite the poet, wasn't she?" asked the woman, and I nodded with a soft, sad smile. "Nothing that perfect lasts very long, I'm afraid." she sighed sadly. "Moving on from that will be much more difficult than it was for me. For that, I'm sorry."

The next six months were similar to that month after Cheryl's death. I tried to lay low as Voltage, considering what happened last time I utilized my abilities, but my love for helping people, paired with my desire to be closer to my dead lover was too much, too strong for me not to fall back into old habits.

Luckily for me, I managed to learn how to dim my lights and not shine as much. I went back to wearing a hoodie and jeans, and lurking in the shadows to keep clear. Just stopping purse snatchers and burglaries was enough for me. It helped me remember the goodness, to forget about the pain of not going home to Cheryl. Lulu was okay with it, but she said I shouldn't go out when I was on my period, for fear that there would be a repeat of the last time.

I worked steadily at the coffee shop during the day, and after a few months, I found a night job at a bar where I could fulfill my desire to see all these gross sweaty guys falling all over themselves.

On my birthday in late June, Josie and Lulu sat me down in our small apartment and gave me a gift from each of them.

"This is more a gift from my mom," Josie smiled as she passed me a large white box. I lifted the lid and noticed a small card atop the tissue paper. It was scrawling from Mrs. McCoy herself.

Dear Miz Voltage,

Your Cheryl and I were working on this before the incident, so I took the liberty in finishing it for your birthday. I miss the both of you,

Xo, Sierra.

I already felt my eyes sting with tears as I ripped the paper off the top, revealing a layer of black fabric. It wasn't leather, nor was it rubber. But it looked and felt like something of a hybrid. It was partially heavy, and on the left breast, there lie a small letter V in that Magenta color, in the style of the one on my previous costume; a costume that has been sitting, collecting dust in my closet in Riverdale for the past 8 months. I pulled it out, and it was a cat suit with a zipper on the side that seemed to curl just like the edges of my body. It would obviously be skin tight, but it covered every part of my body. It even had little holes on the ends of the sleeves for my thumbs. Upon closer look, I noticed, stitched into the right palm of the sleeve was a little patch, a small green snake, so to represent my serpent background. Into the left was what broke me; a patch of two cherries.

It was little, almost insignificant, but it was the two things that I loved the most, meshed into one. Cheryl alway embraced everything about me, and this was just another thing that made me swoon.

Even from the grave, Cheryl was able to make me fall even deeper in love with her.

Unfair.

I cried extra hard that evening, but it took me another two months to wear it. I wore it on the night that I knew was Cheryl's birthday; August 23rd. It could've been the first time I got to spoil her for her birthday. I went home after that night's boring, uneventful patrol and just cried, curled up in her favorite red blanket, crying on her pillow, that of which didn't even smile like her anymore.

I didn't stop crying every day for two years. I only cried when I smelled Cherry Blossom, or when I saw a cherry muffin at a bakery, or when I saw a strawberry milkshake on a menu. I cried every holiday, as well as our birthdays, and on the night she died. Sometimes, when I looked at Yoshi while he slept, I'd look at him, remember the way she held him, and just tear up.

Yoshi had died on the third Christmas in Los Angeles.

After Josie visited with her mother, she came back with talk of how high crime rates had risen, how the police were never anywhere. How her mother's store is one of few that is still there. Apparently, after Mayor Keller passed away, Clifford Blossom stepped up in his place and corrupted the officers of Riverdale.

Josie described it as a dictatorship.

It was almost enough to make me go home, but I knew FP, Jughead and Sweetpea were fine. Lulu talked to Sweets every week, and found out that he doesn't bother with the south side. The biggest threat they had were Ghoulies.

As for Veronica, she decided to move out to LA too, after everyone in Riverdale found out that I left because of the fact that I lost the love of my life, who, obviously, wasn't Veronica. She'd been spending a lot of time with me, mostly trying to get me to have sex with her, but it was fine. It was nice feeling wanted again for once.

What did get me to go back to Riverdale, however, was three years later when the death of Pop Tate; a man who saved me from starving every week for the entirety of Middle school, surfaced. He was like the father I never had, with a heart and a sense of humor made of pure gold. I cried when I found out he was gunned down, and the next day, I was on a flight back to Riverdale, hopefully for the last time.


	15. 14

I dreaded being back here. Everything about it made me want to shut down, to never speak to anyone ever again. I just wanted to be dead. It was like reliving the product of every nightmare I've ever had for the last six years of my life.

Suddenly everything came rushing back to me. The fact that Clifford wants me dead and has the means to make it happen. The fact that Cheryl was the only thing keeping me tethered to this city. Even the fact that I killed Betty here, even though that fact never bothered me before, not once in the last five years. I didn't want to be back here,I didn't even want to be breathing right now, so why was I putting myself through this pain again?

I was a masochist, and that was the reason. I never would've admitted it, but it was the truth, whether I was willing to say so or not.

I got back to the Wyrm with Lulu and Josie, and we spent some time there, as a type of 'welcome back' party for Lu and I. We drank and smoked, and had some fun. I was able to take my mind off of my misery for as long as I was downing shots of Tequila.

I managed to avoid going back up to my apartment by passing out in a booth in the corner of the bar, not awakening until the next day around noon.

"Wake up," hissed Sweetpea over the pounding headache I had in my temples, and I hushed the boy as I sat up slowly. "Rise and shine, Tiny Toni!" He boomed excitedly, his arms in the air as he did so. "THe funeral is in an hour."

"God, so loud!" I grunted, holding the sides of my head as I did so before Lulu walked up with a glass of green liquid, a glass of water and two pills.

"Time to get ready," Mumbled Lulu softly after setting the cups and pills down. She bent down to my level, grabbed the sides of my head and massaged my scalp softly, bringing my head close to her lips so she could kiss my forehead. "You know the pickle juice and ginger trick." she muttered against my face, and I already felt so much better.

"I love you, Mom." I muttered before turning to pop the two pills and down the pickle juice. I hissed at the taste, then downed the water.

"What else am I here for?" shrugged my tall friend, adjusting her deep purple tie with a mocking tone before turning around and grabbing a bowl off the counter. "Peanut butter crunch." she smiled as she put the bowl of cereal down so I could eat it. "Jeans, jacket and top are on the bench. Sweetpea and I are gonna go find a tie that doesn't have a mustard stain on it while you get changed."

It was a relief, knowing I could avoid going back up to that apartment, the old place I called home, the place I used as sanctuary from life outside of a bubble Cheryl and I created together.

We all went to the funeral at the graveyard down by the edge of town, and more tears were shed for Pop than for Cheryl, which honestly made my blood boil. I stood in the very front, my face obscured from view as I looked inside of the casket with the old man inside. Many people loved Pop Tate, but few knew much about him. I did, unlike anyone else there. He told me stories about his life as a kid, growing up in Virginia as a black person in the '60's. We related in that way; we were different, treated differently. Worse than everyone else. It was even hard to keep Voltage from him, considering the fact that I'd never be as good a person as I am today.

After words were said by Pop's family and those who care for him, everyone dispersed and left to go on with their own sad, uncomfortable ways.

Not me though.

I couldn't leave.

I was curious. I wanted to see if Cheryl's grave was as big as the ones I saw. I wanted to see if she had fresh flowers. White Roses were always her favorite. I told Jughead, Fangs, Sweetpea and Josie to go without me and went out in search of the tombstone that haunted my dreams for the past six years.

I looked for what felt like hours, but was likely only fifteen minutes, until I came across a small, dry patch of grass in front of a small plot where a small headstone rested that just read, "Blossom, 8/23/2000-11/19/2024."

"How could they do this to you?" I whispered, kneeling down in front of the rock and trailing my fingers over the carvings. "I'll bring you some flowers tomorrow." I promised, and I felt a sudden wave of emotion, a tear falling from my eye. "Nobody came to clean it up or give you new flowers," I sniffled, "It's not fair, you should be in one of those fucking temples." I sobbed, "If you were here, you're have thrown a fit." I chuckled, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand sadly. I dropped fully to my knees and got comfortable. "I miss you so much, Cheryl." I whimpered, the tears from my eyes dripping onto the dirt below me. I blinked for a moment, and when my eyes refocused, I noticed that the brown brush was green again. The grass grew back through the nourishment of my tears. "God," I laughed bitterly, "If only that worked on you. Maybe we could've celebrated that cool trick, but instead, here I am." I sniffled, and wiped my face again.

"Man, life has sucked without you, baby." I cried, "I read that journal you were telling me about, and I did it so often that I memorized every single word." I laughed at myself yet again, "I'm so pathetic." I dipped my head back, and tried to will myself to stop crying, only to be interrupted by the sound of the grass rustling behind me. My head snapped behind me, and I noticed Lulu standing behind me.

"Sorry," she whispered, her hands held in front of her in surrender. "I just figured you wanted a friend." she whispered, and I sighed, gesturing with my head for her to join me. She sat on her knees in her two hundred dollar pants and took my hand in hers, pressing it against her lips softly. "Fangs works here. Said nobody has visited since August. Nobody really does, ever. He tries to water it, but the corners are the worst spots and the warden gets pissed." she shook her head with a scoff, "Bullshit, how the best people get treated terribly, even after they die in the most noble and honorable ways." she pulled me against her, and I laid in her lap for what seemed to be hours until we decided to go back to the Wyrm, where Josie would be initiated into the Serpents with a public proposal from Lulu, who invited Sierra down to witness it. Josie cried when she looked down at the girl who kneeled, a bright ring in a velvet blue box for her girlfriend. Josie accepted, and another celebration ensued. I stayed around and congratulated my best friends, then drank a little.

"I'm happy you're friends with my daughter." I heard from Sierra, who sat beside me, sipping on some fruity drink I'm sure Jughead had fun whipping up. "Nobody safer to be around than Violet Voltage herself." she lifted her drink in a slight toast to me before tilting the glass over her bottom lip to pour the contents into her mouth.

"If that was the case, Cheryl would be alive right now." I grumbled, and Sierra sighed.

"It wasn't your fault, Toni. Betty didn't get the treatment she required, and as a result, she did something awful." She laid a hand on my shoulder softly and caressed my skin. "You're capable of so much more than you give yourself credit for, Miz Topaz."

I got up soon after that conversation and rummaged through my suitcase for my suit before leaving from behind the Wyrm to go on for a fly.

I jumped from the ground and took off in flight, jumping from Rooftop to Rooftop, just like old times, only with many more closed down buildings and broken streets. Sirens were blaring tenfold and screams were heard from every direction.

Riverdale really was a mess without me.

Suddenly, something caught my eye.

I jumped from a high building and hid upon a fire escape just a few feet above what seemed to be a hooded figure holding a bow in their chest with their arm. It was pulled back, and I watched as it made a move toward an unmoving, unsuspecting target within a building across main street.

I flew in front of it as quickly as I could, causing it to pounce off of me, making a soft noise resembling the term, "bink" as it pounced off of the leather of my outfit. I couldn't see the face covered by the bow, but I watched them slowly drop the bow. They ran, but it wasn't a run.

Their legs swung over the railing, and they went completely missing.

I didn't have the energy to deal with another person tonight, so against my better judgment, I sighed and dove down toward the window to my old kitchen.

It was strange; I told everyone not to worry about dusting. In fact, I took the only keys to this apartment so nobody could come in uninvited.

Though it seemed to be as though I hired someone to clean it.

It even still smelled like-

"Toni?"

"Cheryl!?"


	16. 15

"Cheryl?" Muttered the voice again, and from the shadows of the dark house walked a somber looking Veronica. "Is everything okay?" The Raven haired woman asked of me, her hands taking mine as she searched between my eyes for any indication of my feelings.

"Uh, yeah." I lied awkwardly before taking my hands back and feeling for the light switch that would illuminate the front room. "I thought I told FP to leave the apartment alone." I said, looking around in slight confusion before sitting down, noting how there wasn't even any dust in the couch cushions.

"I asked him the same thing, and he said nobody ever comes up here. Not since you left." Veronica explained before taking a seat in the corner, where the sectional met.

"How did you get up here then?"

"FP had a screwdriver, and just unscrewed the lock." she chuckled softly. "I remember how you were after your dad died, so I wanted to make sure that after..." she trailed off, obviously referring to the funeral of my second father figure and the visiting of the grave in which my dead lover is buried, "... you'd be okay, and that you're doing okay. I know it's sad, seeing them be happy when you had to sacrifice so much." Her eyes were sincere and her tone was honest, but something inside of me snapped. It was like a loose wire, hanging over a pool of water, waiting for someone to jump in.

"Yeah?" I asked, my tone less than friendly. "How do you know, Veronica? How could you possibly understand what I'm going through now, or what I was going through then, hm?" I stood up, my fingers trembling as I tried to keep myself calm. How could I though? "You've never sacrificed anything in your life! You still have both of your parents, you've never fucking lost someone you love!"

"Hey!" Veronica yelled, standing up and meeting my eyes with a snarl. "Let's not fucking forget who killed Betty!"

"You said yourself that you didn't love her!" I screeched, jabbing my finger into her chest as I so bluntly screamed at her. "I actually did love her, unlike you! I had to fucking kill her, and that's just the latest of all the fucking losses I've had to endure, Veronica! I just wanted to be happy with Cheryl, but just like my parents, and my grandpa, and my sister, she fucking died!"

My voice cracked on the last word, and that was it. I fell to the ground with a loud, heavy sob that activated rivers of tears, flowing down the rapids of my cheeks. Veronica followed me to the ground and wrapped her arms around me. I found myself lying against her chest, crying silently as she rubbed my forehead softly, attempting to calm me down.

"I miss her so much." I whispered once I'd finally calmed down, and she mumbled against me.

"I know you do." she sighed. "I really hate that it all came down to this, Ton." She whispered.

"I should be used to it by now." I said bitterly, "Everyone I love dies. It's been happening since I was nine, and it never stopped."

"Hey," whispered Veronica, her eyes trained on me as I looked up. "I'm not going anywhere. At the very least, you have a friend. And Lulu? She would tear a hole in Hell to get back to you if she had to." I felt myself laugh at Veronica's statement, considering how true it was. Lulu was always like a big sister to me, and even Sweetpea, who was older than her. She still is, and I hope that she ends up becoming the leader of the serpents when FP steps down, because she was always the one who stood for the Serpents the most, even from the other side of the country. She had a passion inside of her for this gang, and we all knew she'd do anything for it.

"You better not go anywhere." I pouted sadly.

"Yeah, I was even thinking about joining the Serpents." I rose a brow and sat up more, so I could look at her more pointedly.

"How would your father feel about that?" I inquired with intrigue, and she simply shrugged.

"I'm twenty nine years old. If he still tried to tell me what I can and can't do, we're gonna have a major problem." She said lastly, and I grinned.

"I'd like to see you in a Serpent Jacket."

"Then I'll do it." she smiled.

Something else in me was ignited, and I felt a swell in my chest. I felt compelled to lean in and kiss her, to feel her lips on mine. To understand what it's like to feel close to someone again. Maybe it was wrong, but I didn't care. I was ready to move on. Or maybe I wasn't, I didn't care. I just knew I haven't even considered getting involved with anyone since Cheryl met her untimely demise.

I leaned in, and I felt her hand caress my cheek softly as she leaned in, closing her eyes as her lips ghosted mine. I closed my eyes and enclosed her lips with mine, allowing her tongue instant passage to my mouth. I leaned over her, my hand laying upon her waist as my hips rolled down onto hers.

It didn't feel right, honestly. It wasn't Cheryl, so it didn't have the same effect as it used to. I started to grow frustrated with myself, and I stood up, hoisting Veronica into my arms, as I hummed, battling her tongue for dominance as I walked into my old room, not bothering to turn the lights on as I threw her on the bed, her landing with a soft squeal. I felt myself rushing, just wanting someone to be close to, despite the fact that it felt unnatural.

I was kissing her neck, my teeth biting her skin, allowing her to moan, her fingers tangled in my hair. I felt around for the button on her jeans and unbuttoned them quickly, ready to yank them off when a familiar feeling shot up my body. I literally flew backwards off of the bed and jumped in alarm, ducking behind the wall as I walked toward the window where I felt a ringing coming from.

"Toni?" Called Veronica, and I hushed her.

"Go downstairs," I demanded in a whisper, "don't tell anyone what's going on."

"What even is happening?" She asked, and I hushed her yet again.

"Go." She finally did as I asked, and I walked toward the kitchen window, slowly tying my hair up with the hair band I hand around my wrist in case my hair inhibited me.

"Long time no see," Chuckled a startling voice, and I gasped, jumping out of the window to face the man I so feared and despised. "So sorry to hear about your beloved Pop." Sounded Clifford, his voice both nowhere and everywhere, all at once. "I'm sure it was completely random." He chuckled darkly, and my heart clenched in my chest.

"I didn't even stop to think that maybe you were the one behind it." I clicked my tongue, trying with everything inside of me not to come across as anything other than Vengeful. "So, what? Are you just gonna go after everyone I love to get to me?" I inquired, "It's not like I pose a threat to you outside of Riverdale." I blinked before jumping off the fire escape and flying up to the top of a nearby skyscraper, not making it noticeable that I'm looking for him.

Something I observed was the way people walked the streets below, some minding their own business, others looking up and seeing the way I perched myself on the corner of the building.

"I'm just trying to teach you about having enemies. They won't get to your loved ones if you don't have any."

"And what about your mother?" I asked simply, confident in my inquiry, trying not to move too much, afraid a civilian will see me talking to myself.

"She died shortly after you left, so that was easy." The smug sound in his voice, combined with the knowledge that the sweet old lady I loved so much was gone made it hard to breathe.

"And Penelope?" I asked, knowing for a fact that she was still alive. Unfortunately. "The love of your life."

"I don't believe in love." Clifford scoffed.

"That explains why you just let Betty kill your own child."

"I never cared much for her anyway. She had a lot of issues. Really confused, even thought that if she turned gay, someone would love her." He chuckled darkly, and I suddenly felt his breath on my ear behind me. "I almost thought she was right, but it seems you were a little too deep inside someone else to care all that much." He gloated, referring to Veronica. My fist clenched in my hand.

"What the fuck do you want with me? You already have Riverdale, you have your money and power. What could I have that you want?"

"Dear child," he chuckled from a little further behind me, "you don't dream big enough. Use some imagination!" He shouted in a sinister tone. "I want eternal life!" He laughed, and I finally willed myself to turn around. "What good is power, and money, and fame when it'll all come to an end?"

"Legacy." I answered easily, and he scoffed roughly.

"Says who? You? THe woman who gets to live forever?" He laughed.

"Well, given my circumstances, I'd rather be dead right now, thanks to you." I admitted, and he smiled wickedly.

"Looks like you'll get your wish." He rose his right hand, sporting some large, shiny blue object that almost looked like some type of weapon. It whirred, and I closed my eyes, bracing for the impact. I didn't expect it to hurt me, considering the fact that I was indestructible.

Nothing came.

The sound stopped, and my eyes opened, met with an arrow jammed inside of what seemed to be the exit point of the weapon.

"What?" He growled, reaching for the arrow and pulling it out before pointing it at me again, charging it up. Again, I waited for impact before being pushed out of the way and off of the roof by something I was unable to see.

I landed on my feet on the ground and looked up to see something falling above me. I ran toward the spot where the person was falling and held my arms up to catch her.

"Why'd you do that?" I hefted as the hooded person jumped from my arms, face covered by a red cloth. They moved to run, and I ran ahead of them, stopping so that they were forced to run into me. "Hey, why are you in such a hurry?" I inquired, and heard a deep sigh before the leather-clad arm came up and removed both the hood and the cloth, revealing-

"Cheryl?" I voiced, my heart clenching in my chest, fearing that it was just another hallucination. "I-is that really you?" I whispered, reaching out to touch her face, only for her to take my hand and begin running.

"We have to go, Toni," she whispered, running behind a building and opening the back door to the Whyte Wyrm. "He has weapons that actually will kill you." She muttered as we walked through a crowd of serpents, the hand she held her bow in covering her face again with the hood and cloth.

"W-how are you still alive?" I whimpered as she pulled me up the stairs toward my apartment and opened the door. She closed it behind me and quickly turned off the light in the front room.

"Lock the door." she demanded as she ran to the kitchen window and closed it, locking it and closing the curtains that, I'm pretty sure were never there before. I did so, and walked to her, taking her shoulders in my hands to stop her frantic walking. She stopped and looked into my eyes, tears streaming down her beautiful face.

I probably looked similar.

My heart hurt. It was heavy, as though a ship's anchor was tied to it, keeping it below sea level, the chain locked, unable to be unlocked by anyone but the person who had a key to it. Looking at her, smelling her, feeling her, hearing her, it was like a dream.

"Please tell me it's really you." I whispered, "Tell me I'm not seeing shit." I felt my face contort as I held back a sob. "I thought you were dead!" I whimpered and watched as her eyes spilled fresh tears. Her lips quivered, and she closed her eyes, nodding.

"I was." She sobbed, wrapping her arms around me for the first time in six years. I rested in her arms, feeling at bay, my arms holding her with a tightness that I wasn't measuring. I just felt like letting go of her would mean losing her again. I knew that losing her again would actually kill me. I knew that all I needed in this moment was the feeling of her touch, the homes of her embrace. I felt her trembling against me and I just held her tighter, not willing myself to let go. Not now, not ever. "I'm so sorry I didn't call you,Toni, I'm so sorry." she sobbed in my ear, and I shook my head against her.

"I don't care, baby, I don't care, all I care about right now is that you're okay." I promised, and she pulled away shaking her head.

"I didn't know what to do," she cried, "I woke up in a dark, hot casket, and I cried for like an hour. I thought I was gonna suffocate, but nothing happened," she cried, "I don't even know how long I was in there before I got angry and broke the top. I dug through the dirt until I could see light again ." The frantic tone in her voice made my heart ache, and she pulled away, putting the bow and satchel of arrows by the couch before walking into the bedroom and removing her cloak and hanging it in the closet through the dark. "I came back here to find you and noticed nobody was here." She was now trying to fight off her tears, and I didn't care. I was crying fully, and her not being in my arms was taking a toll on my psyche because already, I started to feel helpless, like she was gone again, despite the fact that I was looking right at her. "I've been living here ever since."

"Well, at least now I know why my house was so clean." I sighed, and she walked up to me after having removed her pants and hugged me tightly. It was so tight that it actually hurt, and I pulled away in confusion. "Do you like, have powers too?" I asked, and she pulled back with an unreadable expression. She walked toward a pocket knife on the dressed and opened her palm. I dragged the blade across her hand, making blood fall from her hand rapidly. "You could've just said no." I sighed, taking her hand in mine and moving to press a kiss to it, only for the gash to begin closing on its own. My eyes widened when I noticed the way she healed, my expression absolutely dumbfounded.

"I snuck into the old sport shed at Thistle House and grabbed my bow and arrow when I realized how likely it was for Betty to find me and make another attempt on my life. When I found out she was dead, I decided to try and go on with some of your work in making the city a better place. It's hard though, trying to remain unseen. And I only recently discovered that I'm strong. Though I suppose it comes and goes."

"Hey," I muttered, placing my hands on her arms and looking her in the eyes. "You don't have to explain this all right now." I assured before pulling her into my arms again. "I'm not letting you go again." I promised, and she sighed into me.

"It's just been so long." she whispered against me. "I haven't talked to anyone since I died, and now that I can finally talk to the only person I love, it feels surreal." I felt her sniffle against me again. "I can't believe you're here again." She cried, and I nodded, walking Cheryl toward the bed, getting her to sit down. I removed my costume, leaving me in a pair of underwear and a tank top. "I'm happy Sierra finished the new suit. It definitely looks more your style." she whispered as I crawled onto the bed. "God, I missed you so much." she sighed.

"I missed you too, Cheryl." I sighed, lying down and opening my arm for her to lay within it. "Now, let's just embrace this moment." I suggested, "Forget about what happened, forget about Clifford, and the rest of Riverdale." She hummed and leaned up, looking me in the eyes, then to my lips. "Do it." I whispered. "Kiss me, Cheryl."

She did.

It was like like taking a long drink of cold water in the desert. Like taking a gulp of air after so long under water. Like being happy after years of pain and misery. Like being home.


	17. 16

"What does it feel like?" I asked out of nowhere as the two of us lay together, her head against my chest, my fingers running through her beautiful red locks as I simply reveled in the feeling of finally being able to hold her, after so many years of thinking I'd never see her again.

"Dying?" She asked, then I hummed in confirmation. Her fingertips were tracing empty minded circles down the split of my abdomen. "Really dark," she admitted, "like one of those dreams where you think you remember what happened, but it's so distant that you actually can't remember? I fight so hard sometimes to remember anything about dying, and what death was, and I can't remember anything." I took a moment to process her words. It sounded terrifying, and I still wish it was me instead, because even if I didn't come back, it's better than knowing she didn't have to go through it.

"A-and how about falling off the building?" I stammered, and she chuckled.

"It was the worst feeling in the world. Luckily, I only had to feel it for a second. But I was really sore when I woke up."

"You're so different from before," I admitted,and she met my eyes briefly.

"Is that a bad thing?" she inquired, and I didn't even have to think about shaking my head.

"No, I just think you've been forced to undergo a lot of discipline while living by yourself, without anyone to pamper you like how it was before you... died." I sighed at the last word, and she pulled herself closer.

"Seeing the person you call 'dad' contribute to your death, and then deteriorate your home seems to do that to you." her voice was serious suddenly, and she shifted so she could comfortably look me in the eyes. "He's planning something, Toni," she warned, "I don't know what it is, but he's been hiring new people every week, and he's building weapons. The city is falling apart, and we don't have the hope we had when you were around." her tone sounded terrified, and I could feel the tension in her body as she grew uncomfortable talking about what it was she so adamantly swore over. "After Nana Rose died, it was like there was no reason to hold back. He didn't have anything to lose."

"We gotta stop him then." I assured. "Now that I know you've got powers too? We can do it together."

"It's not that simple," Rationalized Cheryl with the shake of her head. "We don't know what he's doing at all. That means we don't even know what we're stopping, or what we need in order to stop it." She flattened her hand against my stomach and rubbed circles, so to calm down my lack of inhibitions. "We need to figure out what's going on first. It's important that we don't go in blind, especially with what happened last time."

"It isn't like you can walk around the city though, Cheryl. And you definitely can't walk through the front door and get into his computer or anything." I countered, causing her to raise a brow at me. "What?" I inquired with a bout of slight nervousness.

"You may be onto something."

...

"Toni, why are you up so fucking early?" Lulu asked tiredly as I dragged her up to my apartment from the lobby of the Wyrm, followed closely by Josie, Sweetpea, Fangs, Jughead and Veronica.

"Yeah, and why the fuck are you so smiley?" Asked Sweetpea as I stopped in front of my door and turned to face the five people in front of me.

"Okay, so, I need you guys to remember to stay very very calm, and not to get too upset. Okay?" I asked, "This is a sensitive matter, and even I don't really know all the answers."

"About what..?" Lulu asked, her arms crossed over her chest as she looked at me with slight concern. I exhaled heavily and opened the door to the apartment, behind which Cheryl was standing, arms behind her back, a look of nervousness in her eyes.

"Cheryl?" Asked Veronica from behind everyone, her tone suddenly broken, and I suddenly remembered what almost happened between us shortly before I ran into Cheryl.

"How is this even possible?" Asked Lulu, rubbing her eyes, so to wipe the image of Cheryl away like she was seeing things.

They all came in and sat on the sectional as Cheryl explained the minimum of what happened, as well as the fact that she was in the same accident that turned me into Voltage, so that they could put the pieces together and understand it as they wanted.

"So now, we need your help." Cheryl finished, and Jughead spoke up.

"With what?"

"We need to access Clifford's emails, calendar, anything that can tell us what Clifford is planning. I figured that, with your... less than legal hobbies, one of you could figure out how to do that." I addressed to Jughead, Fangs and Sweetpea.

"My friend is Mayor Keller's son. He can access anything in the mayoral data frame from his dad's old computer at home." Suggested Fangs. "We're finally starting to get into a relationship, so I refuse to bug him at four in the morning, but at like nine, I'll totally call him."

"Alright," I exhaled, "I know a cop that could help us get physical access to the office if we need it. Jughead, do you think you can find out what you can about Clifford Blossom in the last six years just through google? Cheryl and will handle to physical power, but Lulu, Sweetpea, I'm gonna need you to bust a few heads, if you don't mind." I watched as Lulu grinned and popped her knuckles.

"Now you're using me to my full potential, Tiny." she beamed, and Josie grinned at her fiance's excitement. Sweetpea just shrugged, ready to stand with me through anything.

"Veronica, I need you to utilize your position of power to our advantage. We may need you to pull the daddy card a few times." I reiterated, and she shrugged with a smug smile.

"It's what I do best."

"Josie, you're gonna be on reconacense. You're sweet, and smart, and pretty, and the daughter of the country's best fashion designer. Everyone loves you, so it'll be easy to get into social events that may or may not be coming up."

"Are you talking about the Jingle Jangle Ball?" Asked Josie, "My mom and I design the Mayor and their family's outfits every year. I can get in, easy." She smirked, satisfied that she's already helping the serpents.

"Yeah, we're going to that too." Veronica piped up, "I can do recon too."

After we had some sort of loosely based plan, everyone decided to go downstairs to have some coffee, or eat, or go back to sleep when Veronica pulled me off to the side. We sat in a corner booth by the stage.

"Toni, I just wanted to make sure you're okay." Veronica said simply, sitting across from me with a worried expression.

"I don't really know," I admitted, "I just saw my dead girlfriend in the flesh and haven't really had time to process it."

"Well, I can't help but feel like... what happened last night may make it harder to concentrate on what's happening now." she said bashfully, rubbing her hands together nervously, "Obviously I know you're not conflicted between us. It's her, it always has been, and it always will be. I don't want you to kick yourself for like, leading me on or anything." She explained, reaching over the table and laying her hand over mine. "I get that I don't have a chance with you anymore. I probably never had one. And that's okay. I'm just sorry that I tried to pressure you for so long to feel like I was the one you needed, or who deserved to be with you." I felt a big weight lifted off my shoulders, knowing she was finally letting go of me, and I grinned.

"Thank you for clearing that up." I sighed, "I'm also sorry. Last night would've been a mistake for both of us."

"I agree," CHuckled Veronica. "After I left your apartment, I was worried, and someone kinda calmed me down, and we talked for like, hours about the most random things," I watched a grin make her way onto her lips. "I think I like him a lot," she admitted, turning her head toward the bar where Sweetpea stood, already looking at her with his own smile. She waved at him and he waved back in a cheesy, dorky way that I'd never seen Sweetpea display.

"You and Sweetpea?" I asked with intrigue, and she shrugged.

"I never thought of it before, but yeah." she grinned at the tall man who wiped up a few cups with a rag in his hand. His eyes were trained on the raven haired girl, and Lulu pushed past him, talking to the distracted man who just stumbled to the side a little, not willing himself to take his eyes off of Veronica.

"Did you already have sex or something?" I asked teasingly, and she blushed before shaking her head.

"We laughed, and he kissed me, then I fell asleep on his arm. I think he laid me in the booth, and that's how I got there, covered with his jacket."

It made me happy, knowing my brother and my best friend had each other.They balanced each other out well.

After my talk with Veronica, I walked off in search of Cheryl, who was reportedly last seen bringing my bags upstairs. I walked up to my apartment and locked my door behind me before walking back to my room, where Cheryl sat on my bed, holding a very familiar old notebook in her hands.

"You kept it?" she asked rhetorically, and I watched her eyes leak sadly.

"I memorized it, so I didn't even need to read it." I admitted as I stalked toward the bed and sat beside her, taking the book into my hands and looking at one of the familiar pages. "Sometimes I'd pull it out and just look at the words," I smiled sadly, running my fingertips over the curly, beautifully inked letters of her writing. "I'd think about what you were doing, where you were, where I was when you wrote these." I felt a tear burn at my eye, and my nose itched. "Especially after your blanket and pillow stopped smelling like you," I sniffled, noting how the two items both lay on the bed, the pillow beneath Cheryl's head, the blanket just barely draped over the back of her legs.

"Now they smell like you," Cheryl whispered, taking my hand from atop the paper into her own.

"I missed you so much," I cried softly, and fell into the mattress in tears, allowing my girlfriend to pull me against her in a way that only she could do to console me. I sobbed into her chest as she held me against it, hushing me, fingers running through my hair softly. She hummed in my ear, sniffling slightly as she planted the occasional kiss to my forehead between strokes of her hand on my head.

"A lot of the time while I was writing those entries," Cheryl spoke up, and I turned my head up so I could open my eyes and look at her. She was looking at me in adoration, the way she was holding me, it was like I was the most precious thing she'd ever seen. As though she was holding the last thing that mattered on this planet. "I'd be looking at you after you'd fall asleep." she admitted, stroking my brow with the pad of her thumb. "I'd just be writing about how I felt, and then I'd look over at you, how perfect you look, even when you sleep." she sniffled a moment, "I'd get carried away. Seeing you, so calm, doing absolutely nothing, I thought it was one of the most amazing things I had ever experienced. There's no way I'm not completely and totally in love with you, and there's nothing that has ever brought me as much joy as you, even just watching as you sleep." I felt fresh tears trail down my cheeks as I reached forward, a hand on her cheek to pull her in for a deep lip lock. I sighed against her, missing the sense of familiarity that came with kissing her lips.

"I don't wanna lose you again," I whispered upon pulling away, only the ghost of her beautiful, plump lips on mine. "I don't know what I'd do if I lose you again, Cheryl." I shook my head, tears pouring down my cheeks. She cradled my face in both her hands, wiping my tears with her thumbs and hushing me gently.

"I'm not going anywhere this time, Toni, I promise." She swore, and I exhaled before leaning over her body, making her roll onto her back. I kissed her deeply, my right hand caressing her ribs beneath her top. I felt her left hand grip my hips, her right grabbing my thigh to pull it over body, begging me to straddle her. I hummed against her, delighted that she still wanted me, even after all these years, after I left her, forcing her to live on her own. Her hands trailed up to my back beneath my shirt and my tongue stroked hers with deep, deliberate delves into her mouth. "Toni," she breathed against my face, and I immediately knew what would come after, given her tone of voice. "Toni, make love to me," she begged, and both my heart and the apex of my thighs throbbed at her words. My lips were on her jaw, and I nodded again, leaning back to remove my top, then reaching behind me to unclasp my bra.

Her breathing grew heavy as she looked me in the eyes deeply, her hands coming up to palm my breasts passionately. She bit her lip and I reached down to remove her top, me thanking the heavens that there was no bra to do away with. My fingertips started their trek from the sides of her plump, round chest, massaging my way toward her hardening nipples.

"I love you so much," I cried softly, and her soft, watery brown gaze was never deterred from me as I drank in the sight of the woman I loved so much. My thumb grazed one of her nipples and I just watched as it stiffened even more. I was filled with adoration, lust, and pure, raw love for the woman who laid beneath me.

This. This felt right. Not like the night before. This was all I could wish for, a closeness with the soulmate I obviously could never live without. This was something I wanted to revel in for the rest of my existence, whether it ended today, or a million years from now. This was like my first time all over again.

I felt her goosebumps conjure beneath my fingertips, the way she deeply inhaled, causing me to look up from her soft, warm skin, into her eyes, which spilled freely.

"Hey," I cautioned softly, my hands moving from her chest, upto cradle her face between my limbs, fingers gently caressing her jaw. "I get that this is fast," I assured, "this can go slow," I leaned up to press my lips to hers in reassurance, my thumbs wiping away at her spilling notions of pure, raw and unfiltered emotion. "If you want me to stop," a tear fell from my eyes as I looked down at the woman I loved so much, "I'll stop now, and I'll let you decide when you think it's right." I promised, followed by Cheryl's head shaking softly, her right hand caressing my left forearm in reassurance, her eyes locking with mine, unwilling them to move from their entranced place.

"I've been dreaming of this for the last six years, Toni." she whispered, her hand moving up my arm, fingers trickling up the side of my neck. "Looking at you again," she blinked softly, "feeling you," Her hand slid down to my chest, covering my heart with her palm. "Hearing you," her lips quirked up in a blissful beam of joy, "lying with you, being held by you." She leaned up on her forearms to kiss me deeply, her same hand cupping my jaw as she did so. "It's why I'm crying," she assured, "I never thought I'd get it all back, and here I am, getting my every wish." She leaned in to kiss me again, and I felt my heart flutter at the feeling of having her love back in my heart again, before I closed my eyes. Then I was soaring. It was better than actually flying. There was nowhere to be, nothing to do, no expectations to fulfil. No doubts, no fears.

I opened my eyes in time to see the light in hers shine back at me, her warm, comforting breath an ever present assurance that she was never leaving me again.

"Make love to me, Toni." She whispered against my lips, and I looked between hers, and her eyes before nodding breathily and doing away with my pants, then hers before mounting her, yet again, my heart never ceasing the jackhammer that picked away at the pain I'd felt for the last six years, in hopes to mend it with the love of my true love, my soulmate. I latched my lips to her neck, and pressed small, feather-light kisses to the flesh below her jaw.

I felt her breath sputter slightly as my knee tucked its way between her thighs, and grinned against her, my teeth grazing her collarbone. My hands cradled her face tenderly, not willing myself to lose contact with the one thing I'd missed the most in this world. I felt the way her body buzzed beneath me, something that genuinely felt like a buzz, not just something created by the tension that so heavily floated between us as we lay so closely together.

I pulled away and opened my eyes to gage Cheryl's reaction, only to be caught off guard by the way Cheryl's skin tinted a dark, heavy red color where her veins lie, as mine did with their bright magenta hue. I laughed in disbelief as I watched Cheryl's hair glowed this otherworldly shade of red that contrasted her brows and original color. "You're a Voltage too," I laughed, my tears pouring down my face. She grinned, and did the same, only now allowing me to notice the tinted red color of the tear stains on her cheeks.

"You're not glowing anymore though," sniffled a shy Cheryl, and I chuckled with a soft nod.

"I learned how to avoid it," I explained, and watched as the brown in her eyes slowly changed into the same dark, solid red as her hair, and her veins.

"Don't be someone you're not, let me see you again." she whispered with a plead that melted my heart, her hands wrapping themselves in my hair as she so begged me to allow my body to ignite within its bright, colorful familiarity.

I felt the energy trickle over each inch of my body as my eyes fuzed to life, reflecting in the red light of Cheryl's own glowing orbs. It was strange, despite glowing red eyes being straight from every childhood nightmare I've ever read about, these eyes had a warmness to them that made me feel more drawn in than ever, which should be a scary thought, but it just calmed me in a way I never thought I'd be again, after Cheryl died the first time. "Much better," Cheryl sighed heavily before using some newfound strength within her to pull me closer, causing me to grunt in surprise.

"You're strong too?" I grinned against the skin of my beloved, who simply hummed with her own smile against my lips.

"I don't know my own strength either, so this could be interesting."

Her words made me laugh again in astonishment before lifting her up with my hands beneath her back to pull her closer to me, her arms wrapping around my neck to hold herself against me. I leaned over her slightly, my right hand traveling from her back, around to her ribs, then downward. My fingertips trickled below her more toned, scarred stomach until they toyed with the soft flesh of her inner thighs. My thumb stroked the top of her thigh, just below her heat.

"Touch me," Cheryl breathed before closing her lips around the pulse point on my throat and stroking her tongue and teeth along that small spot. My body shuddered and I drew my thumb between her folds, something that caused me to exhale in relief, confirming this was real, along with the way her back sputtered against my left hand, which still held her off the mattress. I rejoiced in my heart and in my mind at the feeling of her body reacting to me, and my hips began to roll against her, to which she responded by mimicking my stance, her own right hand slithering between us, and between my legs, which leaked for my one and only.

I hummed against the skin of my girlfriend's shoulder in pleasure, allowing my fingers to take the place of my thumb, which moved its way up, to circle the ever streigning bundle of nerves that stood erect for me, only me. She took my own clit between her fingertips and rolled it between two, and my back grew rigid, my teeth sinking into her shoulder, so to muffle my moans of pleasure. I felt her back muscles tense as her own hips rolled against my hand, which steadily grew into quick-paced strokes of rhythmic synchronicity, two bodies moving together as one.

My breathing escalated as my heartbeat quickened, along with our movements, working to keep up with the jackhammering of our racing hearts. I couldn't hold back my moans anymore, my teeth having had made her hiss from the pain they were causing in her shoulder, my nails clawing her back as her fingers grew knuckle deep within me, curling between my tight, hot walls. I stopped as my orgasm approached, my body unable to move with any aim as I came with a strangled moan, my body shaking with a pleasure that could only be matched after six years of pent up energy, unjarred after so long. I rebuilt my energy after a moment, then used both hands to drop her onto the bed, my lips travelling quickly down the valley of her breasts, down the split of her abdomen, then below her belly button, and finally her defined hip bones, the lines pointing down to the place she so obviously wanted me the most, as told by her soft whimpers, and the way she pulled so roughly on my hair.

She really was strong.

I used my right hand to glide through her warm, slick folds again, gauging her reaction blissfully before dipping my fingers into my lips, sending a shockwave of pleasure down my spine, then up within my own center. I gasped in shock, and I looked up, seeing the amused grin on her face. Curious, I leaned down and swept my tongue in one long, deep stroke through her arousal coated folds. I moaned as my body exploded in arousal, and craved more, my tongue flicking mercilessly through her folds, from her entrance, up to her clit, which made her thighs quake in arousal with every flick of my tongue. I swirled my tongue around her clit, my own body trembling as I was so near my second orgasm.

I was determined to grant her release first though. I needed to feel the intimacy that comes with making her come at the same time as I myself do. I entered her with two fingers, and pursed my lips to blow cool air upon her warm, wet mound, igniting a shudder through the body of my beloved, before taking the flesh between my teeth and tongue, where I moaned against her taste as I rolled her nub between the two. I curled the tips of my fingers, and watched as her hips bucked off the bed from where I settled between her heavenly thighs. Her hands pulled my hair roughly as she forced my head deeper into her sex. I sucked on her clit with deep breaths, matching the rhythm of my upward strokes from my fingers, which still persisted until she leaked all over them, her arousal coating my knuckles as her body thrashed, throat constricting as I slowly stroked within her, my tongue drinking up every bit of her come, the trickles of arousal shooting through my body in time for me to come once I had finished helping Cheryl ride out her own orgasm.

I collapsed on top of her as I convulsed in the aftermath of my ecstasy, my body quivery and shuddering as I worked to regulate my breathing.

"I love you," Exhaled my glowing companion, whose fingers came up to run through my sweat-laced hair from my forehead, and I hummed in response.

"I missed this." I admitted, and she chuckled.

"I miss everything." she admitted, "Being able to sneak around, cooking dinner with you every night, cuddling with Yoshi," I heard her voice deject as she spoke on the last topic, and I felt my heart tug at the mention of the beautiful animal.

"He was happy while he lived," I assured, "especially while he lived with you."

"I figured there was no way he was still here, considering he was already getting old when we met." she sighed sadly. "I hate that all this happened." she groaned, dropping her head onto the mattress, her unoccupied hand caressing my bicep lovingly.

"At least now, we know you can't die." I sighed sadly.

"Maybe we should pay another visit to Smithers." Cheryl suggested, "He could know what's going on with me."

...

"Of course I know what's going on with you," shrugged the old, white man as he clacked away on his old, bulky computer's keyboard, alternating between the keyboard and a yellow notepad he jotted notes down onto. "I was working on a prototype of the sweetwater I got from your bloodstream when you last visited my office when I found out the news of Miss Blossom's death." Smithers admitted as he rolled his black office stool away from the computer to a table with another notepad. "Just before the funeral, I snuck in past the mortician and injected her with the improved prototype."

"So, you thought it was right to use my dead girlfriend as a pin cushion?" I inquired, at a crossroads between angry and graceful. Lulu,who had insisted upon tagging along, laid a soft, reassuring hand on my shoulder, so to keep me from saying or doing something regrettable.

"I couldn't accept that the end had played out on the rooftop." Justified Smithers as he rolled back to the dinosaur of a computer and continued to type something in. "I hadn't slept for weeks before finishing the product, and I was nearly certain that it would work. Unfortunately, it took longer to work than I had anticipated, considering the fact that she wasn't resurrected until she was buried."

"How do you know that?" Inquired Cheryl, to which he scoffed.

"Who do you think fixed the plot after you escaped? Or kept putting fresh flowers at your grave? Although I stopped after a while, considering it to be arbitrary, considering the fact that you weren't even in the grave anymore." he shrugged lastly before finishing off his typing and standing up.

"So, you know all the things she can do?" Lulu asked skeptically, and he shrugged.

"I expect it to be somewhat similar to the things you can do." he suggested, and she smirked before removing her t-shirt and turning around to reveal a large scale of scratches on her back, as well as my teeth marks on her shoulder.

"Jesus, were you mauled by a bear or something?" Asked Lulu from beside me, and I blushed deeply at the look Cheryl flickered between Lulu and I with, until the tall woman connected the dots and pulled a face of disgust. "You're like rabbits, I swear." She muttered before Cheryl closed her eyes and inhaled, allowing the wounds to close up by themselves, but not before flashing that same deep red color.

"Regeneration?" Asked Smithers in astonishment, "amazing!" he laughed giddily before rushing closer to Cheryl and pulling his stethoscope up around his ears. He pressed the tool against her back, periodically asking her to breathe in and out as he listened to her lungs. He walked around her body and did the same to her chest before pulling away and clearing his throat.

"Your lungs are functioning normally, but your heartbeat rests at a hundred and ninety beats per minute, which is triple the usual rate." explained Smithers, before flitting his eyes to me softly. "Miz Topaz's average rate is merely twice such an amount." trailed the professor, causing him to hum with intrigue.

"Does that mean Cheryl's more powerful than Toni?" Lulu chimed, and he shrugged.

"You'd have to test that through simple training and sparring techniques."

"If she is stronger than me, that would mean I busted my head open and almost drowned for no reason." I grunted, and Cheryl slapped my chest harshly.

"I was stabbed, and then thrown off of a building, Toni. I literally died. I deserve it." she rolled her eyes, and I sighed.

"Yeah, whatever." I grunted, and Lulu cleared her throat.

"Let's go."

"Where are we going?" Cheryl asked, the two of us followed Lucille out of the lab, toward the boardwalk.

"To see how far your powers stretch, Voltage two point-O."


	18. 17

"Do we really have to do this right now?" Asked Cheryl, who stood a foot away from me, looking down to the streets of Riverdale from the top of some cliched big city business skyscraper.

"The sooner the better," I insisted, stretching my muscles slightly, dropping my head from side to side in a manner that stretched my shoulders. "I just wanna get all this done with so I can walk around with you and not fear for our lives." I sighed.

"I understand," exhaled Cheryl, "but isn't the building overkill?" She tried to rationalize, and Lulu spoke up from a few feet away, where she and Josie poured themselves over a laptop screen.

"It's necessary," Lulu insisted, not diverting her attention from the screen, "you need to be prepared to handle any kind of terrain, at any altitude, in case Clifford pulls some kinda surprise."

"With that said," I grinned, looking into my girlfriend's eyes excitedly, "time to kick some ass."

Cheryl's eyes flickered on, lick a glitchy light switch, but it was cool, watching it happen to someone else. Her hair lifted itself from her shoulders, glowing with each strand. She removed the cloak she was wearing, tossing it to the ground of the roof and bringing her closed fists up at her face. I grinned before blinking, allowing my eyes, hair and veins to phase on immediately, my fists mirroring hers.

"Your move, Bombshell." I grinned, and she rose a brow, her stance overly calm, shoulders hunched, knuckles slack. She shrugged before leaning forward and throwing a fist to me, which was immediately caught in my palm. She sighed, tossing her hair behind her shoulder before planting her left foot behind her. She pointed a finger to me before turning her palm upward and curling that finger toward herself in a fashion that both excited and infuriated me, her stupid smirk on her stupidly beautiful face teasing me.

I swung forward and she ducked with a quickness that caused a gust of wind to flurry between us. She turned her head to me, eyes wide with surprise, an impressed laugh resting on her chest and trampolining between her lips and my eardrums.

"My turn," her voice rolled lowly, and a shudder rolled up my spine as her face flashed at me with determination. She stood in the same stance, her smile ever cocky as she stared me in the eyes, and before I could blink, her foot had brought its way up to my stomach and thrown me toward the very edge of the building. I felt my stomach, so to be sure it had actually happened, then looked up to the same smug smirk on the lips of the woman I loved, and I felt myself grow competitive before kicking off the ground below me and running towards Cheryl, my fist stopping to catch her in the jaw, to which she simply grunted before using the back of her left fist to strike my cheek harshly. I blinked, impressed as she was so perfectly capable of keeping up with me. Her head was tucked between her shoulders, which were pressed against my chest as her fists rolled out on my stomach and ribs, causing me to step back, up until I met the ledge of the building. I moved to step forward, allowing myself the room by clipping her lip, then I waved her a farewell before diving backwards, off of the building and into the air.

"Let's see if you can fly!" I grinned from beside the building, meeting a determined gaze from Cheryl, who clenched her fists before running with great speed toward me, landing in my arms. I caught her and couldn't help but spin in the air as I held her, bridal style in the heart of the city we fell in love over. She giggled in my arms before wrapping her arms around my neck and attaching her lips to mine tightly. I felt myself falter in her embrace as we hovered above the city together.

"I don't think I can fly." Cheryl admitted as she pulled away from our kiss and ran her fingers through my hair.

"Why did you jump to me then?" I asked with slight concern, and she shrugged.

"I wanted a kiss from you." she justified before stirring around in my embrace. She pressed her lips to my neck, causing me to close my eyes slightly. "And I needed you off guard," she whispered lastly, before I felt her leap from my arms. I opened my eyes, frantically searching for the red woman, only to see her standing on the edge of a building adjacent the one we just stood on. "Come get me, stupid." she smirked, and my tongue fell into my cheek in exasperation before I flew up toward the building, only to blink and catch her running at lightspeed across the apartment building, before leaping off. She landed on another building, which stood higher up than the one she jumped from. I soared toward her and met her proud, excitement-filled eyes before she so enthusiastically jumped in the air, flipping her legs over her head, landing on her feet, which immediately paddled toward me before leaping into my body, her arms latched around my neck, legs just as tightly wound around my waist. She leaned over me, giggling as she connected her lips to mine, yet again. I could feel the giddiness in her body, the way it buzzed excitedly as she held tightly to me.

"I can't wait for this to be our life," Cheryl breathed once she pulled away, looking me in the eyes as she cradled my head in her arms. "I can't wait to fix everything," her eyes raced around my face, as though she was looking for something, or as though she was trying to memorize my face, "I can't wait to fix everything so I can fly around like this with you whenever we want."

I felt my heart clench in the most bearable way, as strange as it may seems. It was as though my heart felt the sense of safety that Cheryl must've felt, coddled in my arms, flying over some of the tallest buildings in the world as she locked lips with the one person on this planet whom she felt deserved to hold her like this. Who she deemed worthy of her trust.

I was honored.

"You're all I can't wait for." Cheryl whispered against my cheek, and I chuckled before aiming to land on a rooftop, which had a small garden atop, covered in vegetable patches and fruit trees. There was a small bench beneath what seemed to be a cherry tree, so I put her down in front of it, allowing her to take a seat. I looked out at the fruits, the way the white flowers blossomed upon the trees, which aligned in a way that made an aisle, which Cheryl sat upon the bench that began that exact column. The way the red and white cherry trees kissed across the segregation that the sidewalk provided.

It was poetic. It made me think of Cheryl and I.

Against the odds, despite being mounted where they are, despite being completely different and forbidden together, they still manage to sneak their justice, in the way the vines on the first set of trees tied together, the small flowers growing with each other, as though being able to live together, beyond the limits put upon them by uncontrollable forces.

It reminds me of a quote from a movie I watched a lot in high school. In the beginning, a little girl asked her aunt, "What happens when an unstoppable force meets an unmovable object?" The aunt ultimately told her that it was impossible. That one would have to move, or the other would have to stop.

Later on in the movie, the man who realized he was keeping his wife from her real true love, he said something along the lines of, "I'm the unmovable object, finally moving for your force to keep going."

If only it really worked that way for us. If only Clifford would just fucking move so that I could keep going with the force that Cheryl and I form.

All of this gave me hope that Cheryl and I could so confidently live. So confidently love. So confidently fight against all odds, through every adversity, just to know we can be together.

In the corner, by the edge of the roof was what seemed to be a man-made arch of deep red roses, and before I could walk to it, Cheryl took my hand in hers, stopping me in my tracks. I turned to meet her eyes for a moment, noticing the way her beautiful brown eyes poured into my soul, as though she was trying to tell me something.

I smiled instinctually before taking control and pulling Cheryl up to walk with me. I pulled her toward the edge, where the flowers were. Cheryl grinned at the beautiful little works of nature, leaning down to hold the pedals in her palm carefully before smelling one. I looked up past the bushe, noticing how the water kisses the shore of the sand, just as the sand pecks the gravel that marks the limit between the beach and the street. I looked around, across the street, and noticed something strange.

"This is where you first told me you love me." I whispered, my voice catching in my throat. "I always thought this was a commercial building." I laughed through my flowing tears.

"They must've changed it over the last six years." Cheryl suggested, taking my hand again and pulling me around the bush so we could sit on the ledge on the corner, just where we had been sitting six years prior, talking, confessing our feelings of love. She dangled one leg off the side, just as she had before, and I copied her, facing her but not daring to let go of her hand out of fear of losing her.

"This roof is the only thing that looks better than it did six years ago." I muttered to myself as I looked down to the trash covered sand below.

"I don't think that's true," Cheryl intervene, "you look like you got tan in LA." She complimented, her hand taking my jaw as she looked deeply into my eyes. "Your friend, Josie, they look happy now." Her fingers linked with mine, eyes locked on the way our small limbs toyed together, her toe tapping against the side of the building.

"What's wrong?" I asked the taller woman, who looked up and shrugged simply.

"I'm just scared that everything is changing." she whispered, and I scoffed.

"Of course it's gonna change." I rationalized. "You're legally dead." I reminded, "It doesn't mean it's gonna be bad. We're gonna kick this guy's ass, and we'll be free to do whatever we want." I winked at my girlfriend, and she sighed, a smile resting softly on her lips before she scooted closer, pressing her lips to mine. Her hands both cradled my face as her tongue stroked mine tentatively.

"I love you." She whispered upon pulling away, and I smiled against her lips.

"I love you too." I promised easily.

"Okay," she smirked oddly, "do you trust me though?"

"What?" I inquired in confusion.

"Do you trust me?" she insisted, making me laugh at her absurd inquiry.

"Of course." I chuckled, and before I could even blink, I was being thrown off the building in a manor exactly as had been done by me six years prior. I wrapped my arms around her silently, allowing her to lie her head against my chest, so perfectly confident that I would be able to keep her safe in this moment. I looked into her eyes, swooping up over the sand and moving over the cool ocean. I flew just over the water and watched as she looked on with an absolutely blissful look in her eyes, her hands falling down to ripple the still, calm blue. She splashed it up at me, making me cackle before rolling over so that we flew, my back toward the water as she laid against me, her smile ever present, never absent.

She reached her hands up to my cheeks and held my face with her cold, wet hands while she kissed me deeply. I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around her waist, only to grow too distracted to fly. We fell into the river, causing Cheryl to gasp at the cold, allowing me to pull her against me. We laughed together for a moment, then I moved a red strand of hair from in front of Cheryl's eyes before kissing her again.

I wrapped my arms back around her waist, causing her to do the same with her legs.

"I don't think this is sparring." I giggled against Cheryl's lips, and she wrapped her arms up around my head.

"Let's just wait," she insisted, "I miss you."


	19. 18

"Shit!" Called Cheryl from atop the roof of the Wyrm, looking down to the ground where I stood, watching as she worked to heal her bloody nose. "I said go easy on me!" Cheryl grunted from atop the roof before leaping off, landing on her feet, directly in front of me. She smiled at me with a crazy glint in her eyes, stepping closer, to which I stepped away warily. "I said to go easy on me," She repeated, and I laughed nervously.

"You don't need going easy on." I insisted, "You just jumped off of a three story building."

"I don't really care," Cheryl smirked before forcing her hand out suddenly, catching my nose. "You should've gone easy on me, asshole." she chuckled deviously before I blinked, revealing a sudden aloneness. I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to face her, only to catch a red boot to the face.

"Ah!" I squeaked, holding my jaw for a moment before exhaling, loosening the muscles in my shoulders and punching Cheryl in the stomach. She grunted before kicking me on the side of the knee, forcing me to kneel in guardlessness. She stepped up onto my bent knee and used the leverage to jump over my head before grabbing my shoulder to turn me around swiftly, holding me there firmly so she could punch my face again.

"Give up, Tiny Toni." she taunted, licking her top lip competitively. I smiled at her for a moment, just entranced with her smile, and the light in her eyes.

"Never," I smirked, breaking myself out of my trance before bringing my hands between us and shoving her away from me. She was stopped by the wall of the Wyrm, but immediately charged back at me. She swung her fist at me as she approached, but missed when I ducked, and simultaneously kicked my foot out to trip her, causing her to fall forward on her face. She glared up at me as she got up, and I laughed, holding my stomach to calm the way it ached from such intense laughter. She stood up with another evil glint in her eyes before running toward me again, only it was so fast that I didn't have time to react before her shoulder was in my ribs, her body pushing me into the wall of the bar. I felt the bricks crumble off of the building behind me and listened as big chunks of the building fell to the ground.

"Maybe we shouldn't fight by the house." I suggested, and her forehead fell against my shoulder in laughter for a moment. I wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed the side of her neck once. "You're getting rally-"

"Shh!" Peaked Cheryl suddenly, covering my mouth with her hand as she looked around in wariness. "Let's go," She whispered, tugging my hand to the lobby of the Wyrm, then through the serpents, up to my apartment.

"What's happening?" I asked once she closed and locked the door, but she just hushed me as she rushed to the closet of our bedroom. She came back into the front room a second later with her coat, bow and arrow, and my suit.

"Something's coming." She warned, and I rose a brow.

"Do you hear something?" I inquired, thinking of the possibility of super sonic hearing.

"I feel it," Cheryl corrected, throwing the cloak on and pulling the hood up, which was connected to a small piece of fabric that covered her face, like a scarf that was connected to the hood. "Get changed." She insisted as she put on her satchel of arrows and brought her bow to her side. I sighed and swiftly changed, allowing Cheryl to lead the way. We walked to the fire escape and she looked at me, making me watch as her eyes flickered onto their burgundy color. "I need to get on your back. Go to Smithers." She demanded, her voice urgent as she stood behind me.

We got there in record time, my body working on hyper speed, considering the fact it felt like a life or death situation. She jumped off of my back before I even landed on the ground and raced inside of the old shack that Smithers occupied.

I ran after her, and was shocked at what I saw. The door to the back of the shack was broke down, laying in shambles off to the side. I ran into the back room and saw something out of a nightmare.

Equipment was destroyed, lying everywhere, viles broken, chairs smashed into windows.

"Babe?" I called out, and was met with no sound. My heart pounded in my chest immediately, and I decided to jump into flight so I could get a bird's eye view of what was happening. In the far corner, behind an old wire rack stood a man in a black suit, his hair bright red as he help a gun to the side of the head of Cheryl. Behind him was Smithers, lying still on the ground. I quickly and quietly moved closer to the ground, so not to be noticed by the man. I flew low, swiftly moving around the maze of a mess before coming up next to the rack, around the corner from the man holding my loved ones hostage.

"Hey," I mumbled, looking around the rack subtly. "I don't know what you want from me, but I'll come quietly, just let them go, alright?" I asked nervously, my heart pounding in my ears.

"You're funny," Scoffed the intruder, "I was here to kill the old man and destroy his research, not kidnap annoying little vigilantes." He insisted.

"Who sent you?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Who do you think, Toni Topaz?" He scoffed, and I sighed.

"Clifford Blossom." I said to myself.

"He's on his way now," defiled the stranger, "you might as well show yourself now." he insisted, and I sighed yet again before putting my hands up in surrender, then walking into sight. I noticed the stray tear track down the side of Cheryl's face, and my heart clenched, then I looked up to the intruder, recognizing the face of the man.

"Jason?" I blinked, then watched as he squirmed slightly.

"How do you know my name?" He asked fearfully, pulling my hooded companion closer to himself as he stepped away.

"I-I, I worked for your parents for like two and a half years." I recalled, "There were pictures all over that house of you."

"And as usual, none of my sister," Scoffed the pale skinned man under his breath, and I nodded.

"I agree, she wasn't treated right there."

"You have NO right to talk about my sister!" He screamed suddenly, catching both Cheryl and I off guard.

"Jason, I know it's hard, not having Cheryl around anymore, but-"

"No you don't!" He screamed, tears pouring from his eyes freely. "You can't possibly fucking know!" He cried, "Don't say her name, you killer!" He sobbed.

"What?" I blinked in confusion, stepping closer, only for him to step back again. I brought my hands up higher to show him my hands were empty. "What makes you think I killed Cheryl?" I inquired, and he sniffled deeply.

"Everyone knows about it!" He laughed bitterly. "How you killed her, and then Betty Cooper." My gut tightened at the idea that everyone could possibly think I killed the one good thing in my life.

"Jason, no. You have to believe me, I didn't kill Cheryl, I love her." I said lowly, and he laughed bitterly, yet again.

"Don't lie to me, you fucking monster."

"Jason, please," I begged, "I-I can prove it." I promised. "I can tell you that she has a birthmark on her ribcage, on the right side. It looks like a frog, and she said that when you were kids, you used to make frog noises at her when you went swimming together." I recalled, and watched as Cheryl's eyes softened.

"No," whispered Jason, "No, no, my father specifically said-"

"Your dad is the one who got Cheryl killed." I cut him off, and watched as he stumbled backward, dropping the gun so that Cheryl could run behind me.

"You're lying!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, and I shook my head.

"When he found out about us being close friends, he tried using her to get me to go with him. Some stuff went down, and he was ready to drop her off of the hospital if I didn't cooperate."

"So you just didn't cooperate!?" He screamed from the floor, and I shook my head.

"No, I did! She kept telling me to leave, and to let her die, but what kind of hero would I be if I did that? What kind of person would I be, Jason?" I asked, bending down to look him in the eye more comfortably. "Betty Cooper killed her." I cried myself now. "She took the blade she used to stab me, and stabbed Cheryl, then pushed her off the building."

"So she killed her?" he asked, and I nodded silently, allowing him to process things, "And he killed Betty?"

"Actually, I killed Betty." I exhaled, "I was so angry. And sad, and devastated that the only thing I could think about was taking her life to bring Cheryl back." I was sobbing in this moment, and I watched as he so deeply considered believing me.

"What do I do?" He whimpered, "I don't know who to believe anymore." He wiped the tears from his face.

"What would make you believe me?" I asked, and he shrugged.

"I heard the security tapes were erased for a five block radius of the incident that night. Nothing will make me certain." He admitted before he looked over my head and his eyes widened. He stumbled to his feet in what seemed to be shock, and I looked behind me to see the face of my beautiful girlfriend. "Cheryl?" he whimpered, and I stood up to make room for him and his sister to embrace. He walked up to her and hugged her tightly, tears flowing down his face. "I thought you were dead." He whimpered against Cheryl's embrace.

"I did too." she whispered against him, and he pulled away to look at his little sister.

"She was telling the truth?" He asked in confusion, and she nodded.

"Mostly."

"I hate to ruin this occasion, but didn't Jason say his father was on his way here?" Asked a weak voiced Smithers who sat up slightly against the wall behind him.

...

"So, let me get this straight," grunted Jason, who paced the floor of our apartment briskly, trying to make sense of everything. Cheryl and I sat on the couch, watching as he did so,an arm's length apart. "You guys are superheros because of some weird serum that brings your adrenaline so high that it makes you fly and glow?" he asked, and both of us nodded. "And Cheryl was dead, but she was brought back by that serum, and now she can heal by herself."

"Exactly." Cheryl exhaled.

"And you're girlfriends." He finished, causing my eyes to widen.

"Nobody said tha-"

"Nobody has to." Jason shrugged easily, "This girl is the closest to your type that I've ever seen." he said to Cheryl, who blushed slightly.

"Wait, he knows you're bi?" I asked in confusion, and he shrugged.

"I remember how she used to tell me she was gonna marry Josie McCoy." he laughed, just in time for the door to my apartment to open, revealing the likes of Lulu, and the woman in mention herself.

"Smithers is gonna be fine. He just has some broken ribs and a slight concussion. We gave him tons of painkillers and sleep medicine so he can rest." Josie explained easily, and I sighed in relief.

"Thank you, Jos."

"Speak of the devil." Chuckled Jason, who opened his arms to hug the woman.

"When did you get back in town?" Asked the smiling woman.

"After Cheryl's funeral." He sighed, "I was stuck in town for work, until I finally just quit to be with my family."

"How does it feel being able to see her again?" Inquired the nurse, who was answered to with a smile.

"I've missed Cheryl so much." he said excitedly.

"Tell me about it." I scoffed, "I feel too scared to even blink sometimes because it feels too good to be true." It was more for me than anyone else, but it earned Cheryl's attention, as she moved to curl into me, her lips on my jaw softly.

"I love you so much, Toni." She whispered against my ear, and I smiled before simply leaning against her. This was what I needed as a woman who felt so compelled to help people. I needed a family with the same ambition. Part of that family is, and always will be Cheryl Marjorie Blossom.

After the whole reunion with the Blossom twins, we had told Jason of our plan, and he promised to do what he could about listening on the inside with his father. In order for Jason to excuse his disappearance, along with the disappearance of Smithers upon his father's arrival, he decided to make up a story.

"I need you to hit me," Jason said to me all of a sudden, and I blinked in confusion. "THe only way he'll believe me is if it looks like I actually got beat up. He can't even go up against you without getting hurt, so it shouldn't be different for me.

"I-I can't, I'm way too strong, I mean, I killed Betty with my bare hands in less than a minute. Go with someone weaker, like Lulu." I insisted, and Lulu spoke up.

"Watch it, bitch. Without those powers, I'd beat you into the dirt." She warned, and I shrugged.

"No, we can't. Your hits leave a specific mark that he uses to do tests on."

"What does that mean?" I inquired, and he sighed.

"When you hit someone or something, your body lets off this weird, microscopic substance that is made up of something my dad obviously wants." He explained, and I rose a brow in confusion before sighing with dread.

"Fine." I groaned. "Stand still." I demanded as I stood up to make eye contact with him. I took a hold of one of his shoulders.

"Don't hesitate to-" He cut himself off with a heavy groan from the force of the blow I landed to his gut. I hit him in the face twice, causing his nose to leak blood and his eye to swell. I punched his ribs, causing him to fall to the ground in pain. "Thank you for avoiding my testicles." He groaned as he rolled on the ground, holding his stomach.

"Alright," I sighed, taking him into my arms and walking toward the window. "I'm gonna drop him off in the grass on Thornhill." I informed before taking off and doing as I promised before taking off and running home. Now we wait.


	20. 19

"Jesus Christ, Josie, who gave you permission to make me gay for you?" I commented as I looked at the beautifully clad woman, whose dress flowed down her body perfectly, the satin pink an amazing contrast to the dark, warm tone of her smooth skin.

"You're always gay, hun." Lulu countered from behind Josie, her hair slicked back into a high ponytail, a form fitting suit with a long, black skinny tie covering her athletic form. She had streaks cut into the hair on the sides of her head, which made her look like a stud.

"Damn, Lu, look at you!" I whistled lowly as I pulled the flap of her blazer open to look at her sleek form. "Who knew you cleaned up nice under all the motor oil, booze and dirt?" I joked, and she rolled her eyes before punching my shoulder softly.

"You both look lovely." Cheryl said from behind me, holding two flowers of the same color and style, matching that of Josie's bright red shoes and corresponding handbag. Cheryl stepped around me and looped the stem of the rose into the buttonhole on Lulu's jacket, then between some tight strands of hair attached to Josie's beautiful head.

"Awe, Cheryl, they're beautiful!" Gushed Josie, and Cheryl shrugged before pointing to Fangs, whose eyes were glued to the screen of an old laptop he had sitting on my table in front of him.

"They have built-in security systems." Cheryl divulged before reaching into her back pocket for a pair of thick rimmed glasses, then a small tie clip in the shape of a spider. "Veronica's glasses and a tie clip to match Nana's old brooch. Also with cameras. I have a pendant for Fangs, and Kevin lent me his badge so I could tweak one of these into it."

"How the hell do you know how to do all this?" Asked Sweetpea from the table beside Fangs, and Cheryl simply smirked at him from over her shoulder.

"Same way I know archery and martial arts." She said cryptically before walking toward my room.

"What does that mean?" Lulu asked from her seat on the sectional beside josie.

"You don't grow up as the legacy of the biggest Crime Boss on the East Coast without learning a few shady tricks, like how to hardwire cameras into almost anything." Sounded the voice of Jason, followed by his appearance coming up from the stairs that led from the bar to my apartment.

"Same, I mean, how do you think I can pick locks so effortlessly?" Veronica said from behind him as she walked in, making a Beeline for the table where Sweetpea and Fangs sat.

"Wait, are we ignoring the fact that Cheryl said Kevin has a badge?" Josie spoke up in confusion, and Fangs sighed.

"He wanted to do something to help the city after his dad left the force to be Mayor, and this is his way of keeping order." The shorter male in the room justified, and everyone seemed to take it.

"Archie has no idea I need his help, so that's where I need you to come in, get him alone, explain what's going on, and see what he knows." I demanded, and he nodded as he clipped the spider to his tie flawlessly, reaching into his pocket for his phone.

"Toni, may I talk to you briefly?" asked the redheaded man once he had put his cellphone away. I stepped down the stairs to the empty Wyrm with Cheryl's brother, per his request, and he looked me in the eyes deeply as soon as he saw we were out of earshot. "I love Cheryl very, very deeply." he muttered quickly, catching me off guard with his urgent tone. "For some reason, tonight feels off. I don't know what it is, but I feel as though something bad is going to happen. Now, if that's me, I want you to make sure she knows that I'm sorry for leaving her. And I want you to give her this," he reached into his suit pocket and pulled out an envelope. "The names and address of my fiance and children."

"You have kids?" I whispered in surprise, and he nodded. A small smile creeping onto his lips. 

 

"June and Woody. I love them, and Polly with my life," he sighed, "but I also love my sister just as much. So I'm okay with dying for either of them. Just make sure she knows she won't be alone once her dad and brother are both dead." The words falling from Jason's lips fell right against my chest, and my heart grew heavy under the weight of this news. "I'd just rest in peace knowing my babies have two invincible superhumans looking after them when their dad isn't around." He chuckled sadly, and I sighed.

"I'm not gonna let you die." I assured.

"You can't promise that and I would never ask you to." he shook his head. "I just want you to promise me that you'll look after my family if something happens." He pleaded, his eyes begging me to comply.

"Can I ask why you're trusting me with this?" I inquired, and he shrugged.

"If you managed to earn such an unconditional love from my sister that she still cares after you got her killed, I know you're trustworthy." I felt my heart sting at the touchy subject and winced, but it went unnoticed by the man I faced. "I know you'd do anything for her, and I need somebody like that in my corner."

"And you're just willing to leave it all behind for Cheryl?" I asked, not grasping such a concept.

"You don't have the bond we have, being twins, so I can't expect you to understand. I trust that you'll respect my wishes though, yes?" He asked, and i sighed before nodding. "Thank you." He exhaled in relief before tapping my arm supportively. "I also want you to know that Cheryl is the best thing that will ever happen to you in your entire young adult life, so cherish her for the centuries you have together."

"I have no doubt about that." I sighed. "I love her more than my own breath, Jason. That girl holds every ounce of love I can muster, and the idea of losing her makes it hard to breathe. Not having her again is worse than death." I felt emotional just talking about it, honestly, but I had to stop if I wanted to get anywhere with this plan tonight. We spoke a few moments longer, mostly Jason paying my thanks before leaving back upstairs to finish the last few measures before sending everyone off. It seemed that the only four people not going to the Gala were Cheryl, Jughead, Smithers and I. I made sure to keep quiet as I watched each person go along on their own, speaking about the plan, and what was to ensue tonight in what could quite possibly one of the most fateful nights in Riverdale history.

Especially once everyone finds out about Cheryl death being... Postponed, for lack of a better word.

"Are you nervous?" I heard from behind me, turning my head to meet eyes with the one and only Sierra McCoy, who held a big black box in her hands.

"What's that?" I avoided the question, and she smiled excitedly, marching past me with the wave of a hand, summoning me into the room I shared with Cheryl, who was already inside, tying her cape around her neck.

"Don't bother." Sierra Grinned excitedly, plopping the box in Cheryl's hands. "I started this as soon as I found out what happened, and I think it's perfect for the unboxing!" Squealed the fashion designer, clapping in excitement as the two of us peered down at it. "I went based on Cheryl's design for Toni's latest suit, and lined it with a Vibranium-plated blend of Nylon and Silk, just like I was able to do with your design of Toni's suit." the excitement in Sierra McCoy's voice was so apparent that it radiated through to me as well.

"Vibranium?" I gasped, "Why didn't you tell me you had Wakandan connections?" I said, feigning shock and betrayal, and she squealed.

"I have some upgrades for you too!" She laughed. "First, Cheryl, open it!" the woman insisted, causing my lover to do so. She pulled open the wrapping, and it looked very similar to mine, only in red, and obviously taller, to fit her tall stature against my small one. Attached to it was a red hood, which smoothly attached to the leather collar of the new outfit.

"Wow," Exhaled, Cheryl, a tear falling from her eyes as she shook her head in shock. "Sierra, I-I love it." I watched her shake her head in disbelief before Sierra cheered again.

"Check out the sleeves!" She insisted, to which Cheryl complied. She looked on at the thumb holes, then at something else before bringing her hands to her mouth to hold in a sob.

"Oh, oh my God." She choked tearfully, and Sierra smiled softly before taking the material from Cheryl to show me the little snake embroidered on the right sleeve, a pair of cherries onto the left. I felt my heart clench in my chest as I looked down at the sleeves of mine, which matched so perfectly with hers.

"I figured I'd make it just your little secret," Grinned my friend's mother kindly, "the two of you are likely to spend a lot of time under the microscope fame puts on you, so I decided to make something just for you." Cheryl hugged Sierra, to which I joined before we turned to each other, and she wrapped her arms around me tightly.

"I have to get to the ball, Voltage's upgrades are in the box too" she whispered before slipping out of the door, leaving us alone.

"Help me into it?" She whispered against my neck, and I hummed, allowing her to pull from my embrace and remove her shirt. It was strange, in the excitement of everything, I had never noticed the scar on the side of her neck from Betty's wrath, then those on her back as she turned around to set her top on the bed behind her. There were old welts on her back, spiralling all over the place, from her ribs to her tailbone, to her shoulder blades, to her spine. I couldn't help but reach my hand out and run my middle finger along the length of one nasty scar, which stretched from her vertebrae to the ribs on the left side of her body, then curved down to her tailbone. My eyes spilled as I recalled so vividly of that dreadful night.

"It's okay." assured my one and only before gently turning around to take my hands, replacing the mangled flesh before it. "I'm here, I'm not going anywhere. Not again." She brought our hands to her lips and kissed the back of mine in a promise. What that promise was didn't have to be spoke. We knew. "Now," She grinned before grabbing the suit in her hands, "let's stop Clifford Blossom from taking over Riverdale.

...

"Josie McCoy, is it?" Chimed the voice of Nick St. Claire, who seemed to be flirting with her. "I'm Nick Saint Claire, the rich, handsome and charming man of your dreams," He bragged before setting his hand upon her waist, too low for anyone's comfort. I'm sure you heard of me."

"Unfortunately," She scoffed under her breath, causing me to laugh from above the computer I watched intently from.

"I'm sorry?"

"You should be." Interrupted Lulu, who stood behind Nick, who turned around and looked up to meet her piercing blue eyes. "It's incredibly rude to make moves on the fiance of someone else." She said calmly, and he scoffed.

"And who are you to determine who she talks to, Snake?" He laughed, tensing his neck and puffing his chest in front of Lulu like a dog baring its teeth. I watched from Josie's camera as Lulu chuckled to herself, fists clenched as she kissed her teeth.

"Are you really gonna have a dick fight in the middle of the event of the century?" Lulu asked calmly, only for his jaw to clench and his knuckles to pop under the weight of his thumb.

"If it's for a fair woman like this, I'll fight anywhere." He gritted, causing Lulu to scoff and roll her eyes, taking Josie's hand and moving to walk away. "I said I'm gonna fight you!" He tried, taking Josie's other hand, to which Josie scoffed and pulled away from him, only for him to grasp her wrist.

"She isn't a trophy, little man. Not some possession you can have to fulfill your creepy fantasies. She's a woman with morals, and talent,and if you think you can just fight to have her, then you obviously don't deserve her since you don't know how she rolls." Lulu's voice was still calm as she tried to walk away a second time.

"At least I am a man." He whispered, and I watched as neither Josie or Lulu moved to face him again. "All she needs is something to change her mind." I could hear the smugness in his voice, and I watched as both Lulu and Josie turned around. Lulu looked at Josie and whispered.

"She wanted a distraction." She shrugged, and I knew that look on her face. She flew her right hand to his face and grabbed a fistful of hair from the top of his head, using it as leverage to pass a blow to his face with her left hand. He fell unconscious to the ground, and Josie seemed to step back, her hands coming to cover her face in shock.

"Somebody help!" She screamed, tears falling from her eyes expertly, "He just collapsed, he needs medical attention!" Cried the fashion heir.

"Holy shit." I paused in awe, and Cheryl giggled.

"We met in drama class." The Blossom divulged. "We used that class as an excuse to spend a lot of time together."

"Looks like you got pretty good." Jughead commended from behind us where he sat on a stool at the kitchen counter, to which my girlfriend just smiled over her shoulder at him.

I watched from Jason's camera as people, even from the office of his father were pulled aside to tend to Nick St. Claire and his condition.

"Now," Sighed Clifford as he leaned back against the back of his chair in his perfectly pressed suit, arms crossed in his lap. Jason's body shifted, showing me the corner of Clifford's office, where stood a familiar head of red hair. "I trust you're enjoying yourself, Jason." Assumed the man to his son, whose voice changed to a tone of malice.

"I'm having a blast." He said through what sounded like gritted teeth.

"Is everything okay?" asked the man in a condescending tone, and Jason sighed.

"Yeah, just nervous."

"Nervousness isn't an emotion that Blossoms can empathize with, Jason Thomas Blossom. Compose yourself before you embarrass yourself.

Jason inhaled deeply and straightened his posture, crossing his arms at his front. "What do you need done?" Asked Jason.

"I need you to clear up the front of the lobby so that I can demonstrate the new weapons to the public." He grinned, and Jason simply turned away to walk out.

"May I request the assistance of Sergeant Andrews?" Inquired the brother of my beloved.

"Go ahead," Voiced Clifford to Archie, who seemed to follow the younger Blossom out of the room. The two were walking up to the designated area, moving chairs from the front of the lobby.

"Sergeant Andrews, am I right to assume that you has relations to Voltage?" He akeed slyly, causing Archie to stumble with his chair, almost dropping it.

"What would make you think that?" He asked nervously.

"She told me."

"You got her into custody?" Inquired the police officer in alarm, and he shook his head.

"She's harbouring my sister." he said seriously, "She's alive, and we're trying to overthrow my father."

"By overthrow, you mean..."

"Throwing him over a balcony." Chimed in the voice of Veronica, whose arm was wrapped around Sweetpea's. "Though I assume it wouldn't be so easy."

"Miz Lodge, you're involved here too?" He asked, rubbing his face to make sure he wasn't hallucinating.

"You'd be surprised how many lives Voltage has touched." Josie said from beside Sweetpea. Fangs and Kevin showed up too, and I grinned.

"Well done, Fangs." I muttered with a grin before allowing the rest to unfold.

"Am I missing anybody else?" He asked, rubbing his head in confusion.

"Probably not." Fangs shrugged before looking into the tie clip of Jason. "We did what you asked, Toni." He smiled at the camera.

"Us too." Sweetpea spoke up.

"I think you two should be suited up," Said Sierra from across the room where she stood nearest Penelope Blossom, who was turned away from her. "It's going to escalate quickly after this."

"Oh yeah, and my mom." shrugged Josie to archie who groaned in confusion.

"How is this supposed to happen?" He whispered loudly.

"Just make sure Clifford doesn't leave this building." Veronica assured, dropping a little earpiece and button into his hand. "Audio and Video." She said simply before walking away with her date. Everyone else began to file away in time for ason and archie to finish the task at hand.

"Good evening, my colleagues!" demanded Clifford's voice from the back of the lobby, making his way closer to the place cleared for him. Men walked past him with objects covered in art sheets, setting them on a rectangular table at the front. "It is time for the Voltage Bounty Weapon Auction!" He called excitedly, causing many to cheer, but only causing me to swallow a lump in my throat.

"These people are buying weapons to kill you." Cheryl whispered in confusion, looking at me from over my laptop.

"This just got more interesting."


	21. 20

"Wait." Whispered Lulu through the speakers, the sound of fighting slowly dying down. "We should listen first. After all, we already know what's in them. Why don't we listen to what he has to say. Why there would be so many people looking for weapons to kill Toni."

"She's right." Josie sighed. "We're here to listen, you just stand by."

Reluctantly, Cheryl and I crouched back down, so to remain unseen by any lingering eyes.

"We'll start a bid shortly!" Shouted Clifford Blossom through the speakers as the fight died down.

"We've got a bug on the guard, like you asked, Toni." Whispered Josie, and I used that moment to get a viewpoint open on the guard as he walked toward Clifford, who stood at the front, calmly looking around at the fight asit dispersed, as though it wasn't even happening.

"That's creepy as hell." I muttered, blinking uncomfortably.

"Now, for the auction to begin." Smiled the father of my beloved from beside Jason behind a podium upfront. Jason turned his body, displaying a big crate, about the size of a refrigerator, which stood just a few feet away.

An unnamed guard pried the crate open, revealing a familiar weapon on a stand as the walls of the box fell to the sides.

"That's the weapon he had on the rooftop the night you came back." I muttered, getting closer to my screen so I could see the weapon more closely.

"A weapon meant to do exactly as it is advertised;" He gestured, a sinister smile in his eyes. "Exterminate the cockroaches of Riverdale, like Violet Voltage."

People all around clapped and cheered as this man spoke so maliciously toward me.

"We must catch justice for our daughters!" Called a voice from the crowd behind Lulu and Josie. Josie turned, showing me the face of Hal Cooper, a sad father of a woman who was killed at the hands of Voltage. Could I blame him? Absolutely not.

"And for our sons, and those affected by the witch's terrible deeds!" Called someone nobody knew.

"Exactly!" Chanted Clifford from the front. "Now, the bid starts at thirteen thousand dollars."

We all watched as gun after gun was bid on, including one to Veronica, who bought one just to get one out of potential wrong hands.

"Toni, there's a truckload being sent out of the back now. It's headed to Manhattan." warned Archie in a hushed tone, and I quickly stood up, packed my things and placed them in a corner.

"Where are you going?" Cheryl asked, concerned, and I unzipped my sweater, brandishing my suit.

"To stop that truck." I said simply, standing on the ledge of the building.

"I'm going with you." Cheryl insisted, pulling her hood up and over her face, and looping her bow over her head. I sighed and opened my arms for her to walk into and wrap her in. I jumped off the roof and zoomed through the air, barely allowing the adrenaline to flicker up my body and light up my body. We flew toward the freeway entrance and immediately looked on at an unmarked semi truck.

"There are three of them." Josie warned, and I looked back, noticing the other two following suit.

"Shit." I muttered, looking between the three.

"Let me go." Cheryl said suddenly.

"What? No, are you crazy?" I exclaimed, and she shook her head.

"Trust me, babe." She demanded, "Now drop me above the first truck." I did as she asked, though reluctantly, and I watched as she landed atop the trailer and began running up it at a great pace. I sighed and turned to go stop the middle one. I landed on the front of the truck, in front of the windshield, causing the driver to veer slightly in fear. I waved through the window at him before punching the glass, causing it to shatter.

"Please don't hurt me," He cried, eyes moving between me and the road. I watched as his right hand moved to the seat and grabbed a smaller version of the guns being advertised. He grinned suddenly and pointed it toward me. "It's over for you." He chuckled before pulling the trigger. I jumped up in flight before the contents of the weapon managed to reach me.

I landed down, hard on purpose, causing the front end of the trailer to scrape against the ground, jolting it downward, the trailer bumping the back of the truck's cab. The vehicle jolted violently, almost throwing it into the guard rail that lead to the Manhattan bridge. I shot at me again, and I simply jumped to the side again, only this time, I grabbed the side of the vehicle and tried to make it veer, only for him to shoot at me again.

"Toni, you okay?" Called Cheryl from above me, and I looked up to see her leaning over the edge of the trailer behind the cab of the truck.

"Help me!" I demanded, and she immediately jumped down atop the cab, sliding down the driver's side to take his head and slam it against the side panel of the vehicle, taking the wheel herself to steer the truck.

"You should get off now." Cheryl suggested.

"What!?" I said, confused.

"Get off!" She called, and the vehicle quickly began to turn left, toward the edge of the bridge. She opened the door and grabbed the unconscious man by the collar of his shirt, pulling him off the truck in time for it to break through the guard rail and fall into the water below. I looked below me to see Cheryl running through oncoming traffic, the driver thrown over her shoulder as she dodged and jumped over vehicles as they zoomed past. She jumped over a convertible and landed on the trunk, placing the man inside, startling the driver and her passenger. She whispered something into the driver's ear before nodding and jumping off, running through traffic, yet again, her speed neck-snappingly quick as she ran behind me, toward the other truck. I turned around to follow her, reaching my hand down to her as we flew together. She reached up, allowing me to snatch her up into my arms before we landed upon the top of the last truck. She kissed my cheek quickly before running up the trailer. "Meet me at the front. I need you to catch him!" She called at me over her shoulder, and I did as she asked, flying in time with the truck, letting Cheryl slide into the passenger side window. She picked up the small gun from the floor between the seats and held it to his head. He put his fingers out in surrender, and Cheryl grinned before leaning forward and nodding at me subtly. I threw my hand forward, easily busting the window and snatching him out of the seat by the shirt.

I watched as she slid over and held the wheel, awaiting the right moment to turn the wheel completely to the right. She slid out of the vehicle as it crashed to the water and began running through traffic, the opposite way, searching for something. I reached down again, and she shook her head at me before catching a glimpse of the car from a moment ago. She jumped over moving vehicles and dropped herself back into the convertible again, snatching the second driver up by his shirt again and continuing her run.

"Come get him!" Cheryl called up at me, so I dove down and took him as well, piling him on my back as I followed my beloved through the chaos of rush hour traffic on the bridge to Manhattan. She stopped at an open topped Jeep, doing the same thing before retrieving a third man, who, unlike the rest, looked relieved to have Cheryl catch him. He was clinging to her body as though she had saved him, and she reached one hand up as she ran back again, allowing me to use my only free hand to take hers. He clung to her body as she held him in one arm, and my hand with her unoccupied one. We flew back into Riverdale like that and landed back atop the roof we had originated, being met with Fangs, Lulu, Josie, and Fangs' boyfriend, Officer Keller.

"Wait, if the drivers are here, where are the weapons?" Lulu asked as she rubbed her head gently.

"Cheryl drove them into the ocean."

"What?!" She exclaimed to CHeryl, who simply shrugged.

"Nobody got hurt, so what's the big deal?"

"Uh, I don't know, how about potential nuclear contamination?!" Yelled Lulu, "We have no idea what's in those weapons, and for all we know, you let a nuke off under the city!" She stressed.

"Hey, calm down." I demanded, "She did what she could, and I probably woulda done the same, so don't get mad at her. She even managed to save all the truck drivers." I rationalized as Kevin slipped handcuffs on the second and third drivers.

"Leave the blonde one." Cheryl asked of Kevin, who complied. "Toni, this is my old neighbor, Chic." She grinned to the boy, who rushed to his feet and held her against him tightly.

"I thought you were dead." He whispered against her, and Cheryl shook her head.

"It's complicated." She chuckled tiredly, and he nodded, scratching the back of his head.

"So, what do you need my help with?" He offered. "I know where all the drop offs are, if you need that."


	22. 21

"Jason, I need you to draw out the event while Cheryl and I intercept the last two trucks," I muttered through the earpiece once everyone was back in the event venue, and I watched through the open laptop screen as the boy walked through the crowd.

"Josie, get ready to sing." She whispered, and Kevin spoke up as well.

"Arch, do you still mess around with instruments?" Asked the boy, in a very typical, gay way of saying something.

"Uh, yeah... Why?" Asked the officer discreetly.

"You'll have to use those skills, bro." Whispered Sweetpea, as though it was obvious.

"The sound closet is packed with some old stuff, some guitars and stuff."

It took about ten minutes for my team to retrieve what they needed, giving Jason enough time to graciously stride back up to the front, where he took his father's place at the mic.

"Now, to wrap up this evening, Miz Josie McCoy would like to provide some entertainment while you enjoy the last bit of your relaxing night." he smiled, raising his glass at the crowd, who did the same while Archie, Kevin, Fangs and Sweetpea all connected some wires to the speakers, and the other ends to padded drum kits, keyboards, basses, and guitars.

"Who the hell knows how to play the fucking bass?" I asked in annoyance, and Lulu cleared her throat.

"There's a lot you don't know about me." She challenged cryptically as she picked up the instrument and toyed with the strings, tightening them and playing a soft tune in time, just quiet enough to catch the attention of everyone in the room. Josie cleared her throat and crossed her fingers in fear as she stood behind the keyboard at the front. Luckily for us, Sweetpea was a drummer in high school. He and Fangs had a band, and I was apart of it.

It wasn't very good.

We called ourselves The Little Vipers. Yes, it was as bad as it sounded.

"Good evening, everybody." She smiled softly before striking some slight chords, allowing the strumming, plucking and pounding of each instrument to ring through the room.

Archie began to pluck at the strings melodically, and Sweetpea dropped the soft beat.

"I've got sunshine, on a cloudy day," Sang Josie softly, a small smile on her face, as I had seen from Jason's tie camera. "When it's cold outside, I've got the month of May." She looked to Lulu, who carried the verse.

"I guess you'll say, what can make me feel this way?" She stepped closer to her fiance, and the two smiled brightly at each other.

"My girl..."

"Come on, baby, we gotta go." Cheryl urged, pulling me up from the ground so we could leave. I jumped from the roof, carrying Cheryl with my arms around her waist as she carried Chic. Our first stop was beyond the dump, where the ghoulies resided.

"Jesus," I muttered as I noticed the two truckloads of weapons in the middle of the dump, "how many weapons did he make?"

"He sent out five truckloads. Most of the truck drivers are Ghoulies who just want some quick cash for whatever it is they do." Chic provided, and I sighed.

"At least these are the last two we need to deal with." Cheryl said optimistically, "Land behind the truck." She advised, to which I followed easily. It was no small feat to get the trucks away from the ghoulies, something we'd be forced to know once a bright blue beam of light flew beside my head just as I lifted the front end of the truck. I turned and noticed another oddly shaped weapon pointed my way, being wielded by a very familiar little Ghoulie. One I had an encounter with back before Cheryl died.

Kinda.

"Well if it isn't Malachai, you little shit." I muttered, moving to be parallel with him as he walked closer to me. I moved to the side, away from the truck, my hands in front of me, palms out.

"I had to get a new lung because of you, bitch." He laughed psychotically, and I rose a brow.

"Are you sure it isn't all the weed, cigs, vapes and crack you've been smoking since infancy?" I corrected and he hissed at me in anger, to which I moved my hands higher in surrender. I looked behind Malachai and saw that Cheryl was busy driving away with the other truck, which was already on and ready to go.

"Sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for then too. Please, dude, I gotta stop this from happening." I swore, and he laughed.

"You know who you're talking about, you dumb bitch!" He hissed, pulling the trigger, to which I moved my hands in front of my face to block it when I noticed something upon opening my eyes. 

The weapon was melting from outside, in, and he started hissing before screaming and dropping the weapon to the ground in a pile of melted metal.

"Y-you fried it!" Malachai screeched, just in time for Cheryl to leave the dump area safely, and I sighed before running closely to him, taking him by the neck, to which he trembled in my grasp. I heard something, and looked down to see a wet spot forming in the front of his pants.

"Look at that," I grinned, "New lung, and now, you need new pants." I laughed before looking around. I noticed an old refrigerator, which I opened and shoved him within. I closed the door and moved the shell of an old Ford in front of it, just enough for him to open in to see and breathe, but not to slip out. "We can't have you telling anyone what I'm up to, can we?" i chuckled, and he grunted.

"C'mon! It smells like spoiled milk in here!" He whined, and I dusted my hands off before grabbing the top of the trailer and pulling downward to clasp it against the bottom of it. This stopped the weapons from being accessible. I unhooked the cab from the trailer and groaned as I lifted said trailer from the ground and struggled against the great weight to fly it to the ocean, where I dumped it.

FYI: I know pollution is bad, but this was the only solution at the time, I swear, we planned on getting it out.

Somehow.

Okay, probably not, honestly.

Anyway, I dropped the container in the ocean and searched around for a blob of red. I found it when I noted the giant white truck driving itself off the bridge, said red blob exiting from the window with Chic.

"Alright, Jason, we got rid of the last two trucks. Now we just need to find a way to get to your dad without his stupid goons." I said through the intercom as I flew toward the two to grab the from the guard rail of the bridge.

"Go around his office window." Jason said through the speakers, and I dragged the three of them back across town. I set Chic and Cheryl down on the roof and looked Cheryl in the eyes, taking her hands.

"I'm gonna go end this." I promised, looking deeply into her beautiful brown orbs.

"Please, be careful, TT." She whispered, and I nodded. I watched a tear fall from her eye, and my heart clenched.

"I'm gonna be fine, I promise." I assured, stroking her hair in my hand before leaning in to kiss her. She locked onto my lips, and I felt the worry, the pain, the anticipation in her body. I held her closer to me, lying my head against her chest. She pulled from my lips and looked at me again, grabbing my face this time, and kissing my forehead, then each of my cheeks, then my lips again.

"I love you with all that I am, Toni Topaz, and I want you to know that-"

"Don't start talking to me like that, Princess. I ran my fingers through her hair, "I'm not losing you again, no matter what. I'm gonna go down there and kill that son of a bitch, then we're gonna take back Riverdale. Okay?" I asked, and she sniffled before nodding. I smiled through my sadness and kissed her lips again, one last time. I stepped backward and saluted her with a smile before diving off the building backwards, waiting to catch wind until I was two feet from the ground. I flew to the window of Clifford's office and listened for the door to open, not looking through the window.

"I'm glad you allowed me to do this with you, father." Praised Jason, and Clifford spoke, his voice curdling my blood.

"You should be, boy. This is an honor, to live and die at my hand." He said, and I heard something open, then close. A drawer, maybe?

"Die, sir?" Asked Jason, and suddenly I heard something all too familiar.

The cocking of a gun.

"You think I don't know that Voltage was friends with all those children who made so much commotion earlier?" He laughed, and my eyes widened in fear. "I was gonna kill you anyway, but now, I have all the more reason," he laughed, "tell me where Voltage is hiding, and I will kill you quickly." He promised. "If not," he chuckled, "well," he paused, and suddenly, a 'thwip' came from the room, indicating that it must've been a silenced weapon, followed by a grunt from Jason, and a thump to the ground. "You bleed out, slow and painfully." He chuckled, and I heard Cheryl gasp from my earpiece, and I couldn't help it. I ripped the chords connecting my earpiece and the speaker, effectively destroying my means of communication.

"You'd kill your only child left?" Jason stuttered, and the man laughed.

"I watched the last one die, you dense dummy." He ridiculed, "Now, I can prove it, but I need Voltage's whereabouts now." He sounded so nonchalant, and it scared me. How could it be so easy for someone to end the life of someone he watched grow up?

"I'd rather be eaten alive by rats than tell you where she is!" He spat, and I heard creaking before a low tone in his voice.

"So be it." He chuckled, "I was gonna wait for the pain to continue, but I haven't killed someone in a while, so-"

"Stop!" I screamed, and popped up, flying into the room and knocking the man down to the floor. The gun went off again, the bullet hitting me in the eye, only distracting me for a moment as it bounced off of me. I pinned him against the ground and began squeezing his neck with my bear hands, ready to watch the light leave his disgusting soul, to which he looked at me through a clenched jaw, lips quivering, eyes bulging from his head as he struggled to breathe. I saw his eyes begin to roll backwards, and I found joy in my actions, until I heard a weak cough.

"Toni," Jason coughed, and I turned my head, not letting my grip up on his father's throat. He had blood dripping from his chest, his hands covered in it as he clutched it tightly, "remember what I said about the twins." he coughed, and immediately, I let up my grip on the object of my pain for so long and scooped Jason into my arms. I stepped over the coughing Blossom father and walked through the door to the party, striking a chorus of gasps and whispers from around the room.

"Someone help, he's been shot!" I screamed, my voice hoarse as I cried in fear of my brother-in-law's life. "I need a doctor!" I called.

"H-how can we know we can trust you?" Called Reggie Mantle, some asshole I knew from Pop's, as he stood in front of his wife, Ethel Muggs, so to keep her safe.

From me.

"How do we know you didn't shoot him yourself?" Asked someone else, and I looked around in defeat. These were people I grew up with. People who knew me and trusted me, both as Voltage, and as Toni.

"A-are you guys serious?" I whimpered, struggling to take off my mask, but succeeding eventually. People whispered again and I waited for it to die down. "I'm Toni, and you all know that!" I shouted, "No matter what kind of bullshit Clifford Blossom has told you, I'm still me. I loved Cheryl Blossom, and she was killed by Betty Cooper." I felt tears fall from my eyes as I remember the deaths as though they had just happened. "Yes, I killed Betty, it's true! But she would've killed me, and that is the real truth. Clifford Blossom shot his own son after capitalizing on the death of his own daughter!" I sobbed, "I didn't leave because I was guilty, I left because I was in more pain than all of you combined! I watched the love of my life get as pushed off of a skyscraper by the first girl I ever loved, because Clifford Blossom was the one that slit her throat! Clifford is the blue devil that terrorized you all those years ago, and he wants me because he wants my powers. He wants to rule the world." My voice had calmed as my tears flowed steadily, and I looked around the silent room, making eye contact with everyone. "I guess you don't have to believe me," I mumbled before setting Jason's shaking body on the table closest me, "but for his sake, please, save my brother-in-law." I whispered, and Josie stepped forward, clapping slowly, followed by Lulu, then Sierra, Kevin, Veronica, Sweetpea, Fangs and Archie. Kevin stepped forward and looked at me for a second before turning to the people.

"I trust her." he swore, then looked to Reggie. "Dr. Mantle, please." He pleaded, "Save this man's life."

It was silent for a beat, until Jason coughed, and blood came from his lips, dripping down his chin. "Okay, out of my way!" He demanded as the crowd parted for him. He walked up and opened his doctor's bag, digging through it as the front doors slammed open.

"How could Betty have killed Cheryl," Shouted Clifford as he barged in, and my skin ran cold, "If Cheryl is right here?" He grinned, holding the same gun he used to shoot his son against her head. He smiled at me and waved with the gun in his hand. "Hello, dear daughter-in-law."


	23. 22

"Let her go!" I screamed, and he laughed, the dead silence echoing against his diabolical tone.

"What could you possibly do in this moment that could stop me?" He asked in a condescending tone, Cheryl's hands holding loosely to his forearm as she pretended to be struggling under the hold on her throat.

"I-I can remind you that shooting Cheryl won't do anything." I shrugged in feigned nonchalance, and he scoffed.

"You wouldn't let your beloved die at the hands of me, Antoinette," he taunted, and I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath to calm myself.

"I did once, didn't I?" I asked, my eyes dead, my lips down turned as I rolled my shoulders for show.

"I don't think you did." He laughed, "I think you had her fake her death to fool the city into thinking you were worth sympathy." He scoffed, "Now I know that you're both despicable for this city." He said, as though he was ashamed of us, and I grunted.

"That's not what I think," I shook my head patronizingly as I stepped closer, causing his eyes tok flash in panic. "See, Cliff, I think that you purposely let Betty out of the home," I chuckled, "I think you planted her so that she would get angry, and I'd be forced to subdue her, and that I'd look like a monster. But when you saw me that night," I rose my voice and turned my head around for everyone to hear me, "when you saw me holding hands with your daughter, kissing her, being happy with her, you grew angry, because you know that nobody has EVER loved you!" My voice was growing horse as everyone chattered for a moment, amongst themselves. "So you let Betty go while we were say goodbye, hoping she'd kill me, but she killed-" I cut myself off, sobbing freely now, "she killed Cheryl instead, and you thought that she was enough collateral damage that I'd give myself up, or I'd leave for good." I wiped my face, and looked on at him, smoke practically coming out of his ears as he balled his fist around the gun until his knuckles turned white.

"Yeah, but it obviously didn't work!" He growled, and I watched as his eyes flickered a blue color, the weapon he held crumbling beneath his grasp as the veins on it popping out, a bright blue color, his arm suspending around Cheryl's throat even tighter, lifting her off the ground as she thrashed.

"Baby, now." I muttered, and I looked at her pointedly, nodding, and she gave me a look of confirmation, when suddenly, her hair began to rise from the fall of gravity before glowing, causing gasps of everyone around. Reggie continued his work on the table glancing up every few seconds.

Cheryl's skin suddenly lit up, a bright red color, then her hands gripped tightly upon Cliff's arm, causing his jaw to clench. He looked up at the woman, and his eyes faltered before he groaned and dropped her, where she landed in a kneeling position, her entire body igniting a fire of energy through her body. The entire room reflected red, purple and blue, and everyone stood in the corner, shaking in terror at the sight before them. His eyes widened when he saw his daughter stand up and look him in the eyes.

"I'm alive, thanks to my family." She growled, moving her hand behind her, holding it out for me to walk up and take. "Thanks to Voltage, I've never been more alive. You, daddy, are dead." She said, her town low, breathy and shaky, but more terrifying than I'd ever seen or heard. "Your soul is dead, your mind is dead, and to me, you are dead." The last word came out with the curl of her tongue, and I shuddered. "In a second, you really are going to be dead and gone, out of the lives of everyone here, forever." She smiled, and behind me, I heard a loud charging sound. I looked over my shoulder and looked into the eyes of a familiar face, who held up a smaller version of one of those dreaded guns, surrounded by bystanders who stared on.

"Archie, what are you doing?" I asked in caution, my hands up in front of me at him.

"Ending all of this!" He whimpered, "It's my job to serve and protect my city, and that starts with killing the three of you abominations." His voice was shaky, and I walked closer to him.

"Archie, come on, this doesn't have to be like this. Give me the gun." I demanded, and he charged it up, holding it higher. I jumped back, in a fright, and I could see the genuine determination in his eyes as his finger hovered over the gun. I braced myself in front of my girlfriend, looking over my shoulder at her. "I love you so much," I whispered, "kill him as soon as possible." I shouted, stepping directing up to the gun, pulling the barrel up against my forehead, closing my eyes.

"Do it." I whispered, "Leave Cheryl, please. She's only here because of me, and because of Clifford." I pleaded, and I felt the trigger slide back, only to be jerked away in time for a loud blast to resonate in my ears. I opened my eyes, and watched as Sweetpea fell to the ground, holding his side as he rolled around.

"Pea!" Screamed Lucy, dropping to her knees, taking him in her arms. I dropped as well, silent, my heart pounding in my ears as I watched his white shirt slowly stain itself with blood, spreading from his side, out to his ribs as he groaned and moaned in pain, his face contorting. "Sweets, how could you-"

"Toni is so much more important to this city than me," he grunted, "all of you are." He groaned, and Josie dropped to her knees beside Lulu. "Josie," he whispered, taking her hand, "make sure you treat my girls right, okay?" He asked, and my friend nodded, tears spilling from her eyes as she kissed the top of his hands. "Toni, I want you to kick ass for me. Don't let me die in vain." He demanded, and I nodded through tears, wiping at my face frantically. "Luce," she was already hanging over him when he took her face and wiped her tears with his thumb, just like when we were kids and she had bad dreams. "I know I'm your big brother, but you've always been there to help me, and I'm so happy I got to say you were my sister." He promised, "I want you to go marry Josie, and have lots of babies, name one Sweetpea, okay?" He asked, and Lucy laughed through her tears with a nod. He smiled as he let go. "Now you have to, because you promised, and if you break my promise, I'll haunt your ass." He laughed painfully, and Lucy wiped her tears from her face.

"Maybe I'll break it just so I can see you." She sniffled, and he shook his head, his eyes growing weak before he reached out for Veronica's hand. She took it, despite her tears, and he kissed the top of her hand.

"I'm sorry I couldn't give you what you wanted." He said, and it was the last thing he had ever said before his hand went limp, his jaw slack.

"Clifford is gone!" Shouted someone from by the door, and I wiped my eyes before looking to a solemn Archie. I growled and snatched the weapon out of his hand.

"Do something with this fucking idiot!" I demanded, rushing to Jason, raking my had over my face where my tears resided before brushing it over his chest. Reggie looked up at me in wonder upon the closing of his wound before I ran past everyone to the door, taking Cheryl's hand as I ran outside. As soon as my cheeks hit cold air, I jumped up off the ground and flew to the house to take a deep breath.

"What's going on?" Asked Cheryl sadly, and I wiped my tears before stripping out of my outfit. I ran to the room and grabbed what made me feel most comfortable; a pair of combat boots, skinny jeans, and a red flannel shirt to go over my sports bra.

"If I'm fighting the literal devil, I'm dressing my way." I grunted as I shuffled around for the new bow and arrow set that Sierra mentioned earlier in the day. I tossed them to Cheryl, who looked at them in confusion.

"Red metal?" She asked, and I hummed as I tied the flannel around my waist and walked up to Cheryl. I grabbed her hood and pulled it down.

"You're done hiding, baby." I promised, "We both are. You're gonna fight this by my side, and we're gonna show Riverdale that Sweetpea did not die in vain." I promised, and she sniffled. 

"What about Jason?" She asked, and I shook my head.

"He's gonna be okay, I promise." I assured, staching the weapon in the back of my pants and she nodded, looking me in the eyes before taking my cheeks in her hands. She leaned in and kissed me deeply, and I felt a sudden charge of electricity curge up my spine as we held hands and jumped out of the window together.

We ran, two glowing balls of energy whipping down the dark, abandon streets of Riverdale, straight to Thornhill, where Cliff so obviously hid out.

"Are you ready to finally destroy this asshole?" I asked, and a devious grin fell upon her face as she looked me in the eye.

"I've never been more ready." She promised, and we took the chance together.


	24. 23

"Why did you decide not to wear the suit?" Cheryl whispered as we walked up Thornhill slowly and quietly, and I stopped to look at her.

"Because no matter what I go through, what I lose, I'm still me." I assured, my voice trembling, along with my fists. "I'm still Toni, and I want everyone to see that I'm not hiding behind a mask, or a vibranium laced suit. I'm willing to die for my city, as I am willing to live for it."

"I don't want to lose you." Cheryl whispered defeatedly, and I realized why she was so scared all of a sudden. I looked her in the eyes and stepped closer to her, placing my hand upon her cheek between her hair and her flesh, and I caressed her cheekbone with my thumb.

"Listen," I whispered as she leaned into me with closed eyes, "no matter what happens, I want you to know that I love you more than I have ever loved anything before, Cheryl Blossom. Okay?" I asked of her, and her eyes were still closed. "Look at me," I whispered, and she opened her eyes, letting free a single tear, which I wiped away with my thumb. "Nobody will ever find a love like ours, Cheryl Marjorie Blossom." I promised, and she nodded sadly before taking my cheeks and kissing me deeply, a kiss I don't think I've ever felt from her. It was pained, as though she felt she would never see me again.

"I love you too, Toni, forever." She whimpered, not daring to pull her lips from mine.

I pulled away and just looked at her for a second before taking her hand and pulling her up the hill, towards where the barn used to be.

"Glowing grass?" Cheryl asked confusedly, and I looked at the tree on the other side of the barn, a smaller one, and I noticed upon close examination that the veins between the bark of the tree glowed white, but it was so faint that it couldn't be seen unless someone really looked. I pulled down a leaf and squeezed it in my grasp, allowing its moisture to drip from it. I tasted it, and my eyes fizzled on, as they usually did when my adrenaline spiked.

"He accidentally made a sweetwater garden, Cheryl." I whispered, and she laughed in disbelief.

"Nice to know," I heard, followed by a familiar sound, and I immediately put my hands up, slowly turning to face Clifford and his very large weapon. "Now I know how to capitalize on it once I've gotten rid of you two!" He laughed, and I rolled my eyes.

"You literally look like the dumbest, most underdeveloped comic book villain ever. I'm disappointed in you, actually. Having raised Cheryl, I expected you to be even half as creative as she is, but honestly, I don't even know where she gets it." I yawned, looking at my nails in a way of questioning his masculinity.

"Who are you to-"

"I'm the bitch who's gonna fucking kill you, douche bag." I reminded, and he cocked the weapon, readying himself to pull the trigger. "I'm a woman in society where our president was man like you, and he got shot in the head for being an arrogant piece of white trash. I'm the sniper behind the trigger that will kill another ugly old Tyrant."

"Baby, what are you doing?" Cheryl asked of me, and I hummed.

"Watch," I whispered, "if you weren't a pussy, you'd put that weapon down and fight me, man to man." I taunted, bracing myself on the ground as I watched his jaw tighten. "Come on, old man." I smirked, and to the ground crashed the weapon as his eyes flickered a bright blue, causing him to charge at me.

I jumped to the side, taking Cheryl with me. He missed me and groaned, before going toward Cheryl, who ran out of his way, before rounding him and kicking him on the back of the knee, causing him to topple slightly, just for a moment, before screaming, and jumping in the air, only to land with his fist to the ground, causing it to vibrate beneath us.

Cheryl wobbled for a second, gasping for air as she stumbled around, into the bushes worth of grass, and I lost my balance, falling to the ground.

He smirked and walked up to me, cracking his knuckles as his wicked grin fell to me. He moved to pick up his gun, but the sky suddenly began to darken.

Almost out of nowhere, a heavy crack of thunder fell through the night sky, erupting into a million pieces in the form of rain, pouring down on us with almost no warning or indication that it was coming.

He laughed through the pouring rain and ran to me, causing me to put my legs up to kick him away. I jumped up and charged him myself, punching him in the gut as roughly as possible. He grunted and stumbled backwards, giving me time to look at Cheryl, who was doubled over near the tree, retching and crying.

"Cheryl!?" I called, running to her side, and noting that she wasn't glowing red like before. She wasn't glowing. She looked me in the eyes, and I gasped at the bright white light in her pupils as she groaned in pain.

"Cheryl, what's wrong?" I whispered, and she shook her head pushing me away, her voice distorted and low, not like her normal tone.

"Just go," she cried, "kill him, get it over with, Toni!" She cried, and my heart pounded in my chest, skipping a beat when I heard something surge behind me.

"Come on, coward!" I screamed before turning around and peering through the rain at him. He was holding a blade, and it was glowing, the color of my hair. "Kill me." I called, my chest heaving, lip quivering in pure fear, and anger. "KILL ME YOU FUCKING COWARD!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, noting the lightning that zipped through the sky furiously.

"You'll find it best not to test me, child." Clifford hissed, moving closer to my unmoving form as I looked at him intently.

"Why is that, old man? It seems to have worked so far." I grunted angrily, knowing that there was something wrong with my beloved, something I couldn't fix until this man was out of my life forever.

"I'm more powerful than I've ever been!" he screamed over the rumbling of the thunder, "I am at my peak strength as of now, you stupid little girl!" his skin glowed a deep blue suddenly, and I felt my heart pound in my chest as the raid grew heavier, the thunder, louder, the lighting, brighter.

"I guess that means you're not all talking then." I muttered before kicking back on my foot as hard as I could, and darting toward the man who dared tear my world apart.

I ducked beneath the jab of the blade, and caught him in the chest with my foot, before zipping between his legs and kicking the back of his knee to bring him down, kicking him in the head. He was grunting and coughing, so I didn't expect it when he turned around and caught my calf with the blade, taking me down on one foot.

I screamed at the top of my lungs in agony as blood poured from the muscle of my leg, mixing in with the water of the rain that flooded the ground. He laughed, and turned to me, holding the blade close to my neck, the mere touch of the blade against my skin burning my flash, causing my throat to construction as I gasped and held his forearm, pushing him away.

I shoved him off of me and gasped for air, doubled over on the ground in pain.

"Big, scary Violet Voltage!" Laughed Clifford as he began walking closer to me, standing over me as I forced myself to try and stand up. "Everyone told me to fear you. They said your strength is unmatched." He laughed, kicking me to the ground, taking my chin in his hand roughly and pushing me down. "You could've been strong." He muttered, "but you're just another pathetic weakling with too many feelings to stop you from doing what needs to be done for the greater good!" She exhalex, shoving me down and taking the blade in both hands, driving the blade into my stomach.

I'd only ever felt this pain once, and that was when I watched the love of my life die.

It felt as though every part of my body was on fire, the pain spreading from my stomach, all the way out to my fingers and toes.

I screamed, my body tensing up and I tried to get a grip of reality, my head growing cloudy as my eyes began to close.

He pulled the blade out and punched my stomach, causing me to choke, the throbbing pain of my intestines trying their hardest to keep themselves inside of my body. He stood up and kicked my ribs, causing me to groan, and cry, hunched over myself in the pool of the rain pouring down upon us.

"You'll always just be another criminal, Antoinette. A speck of dust in the history books, gone and forgotten!" He licked the water off of is top lip and laughed maniacally before taking the blade against my neck. I felt my already boiling skin break under the force of the blade, and I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply.

"I love you, Cheryl!" I screamed as loud as I could as I braced for the impact of death.

Instead, I was hit with the impact of a body trampling over me. I heard scuffling, and groaning, and then a cry.

"I won't let you kill her, dad!" Called the voice of Jason Blossom. I lifted my heavy eyelids forcefully, and witnessed the boy, sitting atop his father, the gun from Archie's grasp earlier stuck in his, the barrel stuck against his head.

I exhaled, and let my body grow limp against the wet ground, knowing that all I had to do now was stay alive until I could heal.

I heard more struggling, and then I surge, then the click at the end, indicating that Jason had finally ended him.

I exhaled, still uneased, but relieved.

I heard the water splash by my side, followed by Jason's heavy breath.

It was finally over. Now Cheryl and I could finally be happy. Now everyone I knew could live in peace. Riverdale was free again.

Suddenly, I heard the surging of the weapon, and before I could open my eyes, I heard the voice of my beloved.

"Get away from her, Daddy!" Cheryl screamed, and I was confused, considering the fact that I thought Jason had just killed her dad. I heard a surge from afar, and beside me, I felt water splash on me from the side.

I finally willed myself to open my eyes, and my eyes were met with a pair of dead, open eyes staring at me, red hair soaked under the rain, white shirt soaked in his own, and possibly also my blood.

"You are NOT allowed to ruin this part of my life too!" Cheryl screeched through a sob from where she was, her red, glowing form walking away from the house, where she likely got the weapon, sending off another shot to the man who dared call himself a father. I watched as she sprinted to the man who advanced at her, gun in hand. "You killed him!" She wailed aloud, checking him with her body, knocking him to the ground. She punched him in the face once, a crack that could've been heard by anyone. The thunder around us cracked ceremoniously, though only slightly louder than the crack of her fist on his jaw.

She held the gun against his chest and looked at him angrily, nostrils flaring, eyes swollen from the tears of pure rage she must've cried, but were washed away by the pain of the night, pouring upon us on this fateful night.

"You killed me!" She screamed, adding in another hit to his face, her hair cascading along the opposing end of her face as she sobbed over his struggling body. Her eyes moved to to side, and I saw her reach down on the other side of his body for something. "You killed Betty, and Nana Rose!" She cried, voice cracking, "And you killed a part of the only person who showed me more love than that man!" She screamed, pointing to the dead boy on the other side of me.

"No hurt feelings," Gasped her father, blood pouring from his nose, down the sides of his top lip, "it was just business, Cheryl. Let me live," He whispered, "I'll spend the rest of my days in prison, and your kids will have a Papa." He reasoned, and I watched the pain in Cheryl's eyes grow immensely, making my heart wrench, only I couldn't tell if that was what made it do so, or the toll her father had taken on my body.

Cheryl shook her head in disbelief. "You don't care about me, or my kids, or anyone but yourself!" She screamed, "You'll kill them too, if you ever get the chance." She whimpered, shaking her head with a quivering lip.

"Now, it's your turn to meet the fate that you so gracefully granted all of them!" She screamed, dropping the weapon, and bracing a glowing blade within her grasp, plunging it into his chest, causing the man to wheeze, and to gasp, spitting blood out of his pathetic mouth, allowing it to pool on the ground of the mansion's driveway.

Now, I knew he was dead.

My heart was at ease. It was finally over. Clifford Blossom was dead and now, I could finally close my eyes.

...

"She fought admirably, Miz Blossom. You both did." I heard through the darkness of my own eyelids, and willed the heavy things to open, where I was met with a harsh light. "The bill is on us. Thank you so much for saving the city from Clifford Blossom's demise. What you three did will go down in history forever."

I turned my head, and I smiled lazily when I saw a beautiful head of bright red hair standing in the doorway, faced away from me as she talked to Doctor Mantle, her arms tucked into each other, something I could see in the way she was standing, guarded.

"What a sight." I croaked, causing red hair to whip around as her head did the same, gauging me and my presence before turning around completely and rushing beside me, taking my hand in her grasp. "Good morning, beautiful." I smiled contentedly as I looked on at the unscathed creature of perfection before me.

"I'm so happy you're alive." She whispered, and my smile intensified before I pressed a kiss to the top of her hand.

"I'm sorry about Jason." I whispered, and she smiled.

"He's fine, thanks to you." She assured, and my eyes widened. "I guess your blood has healing properties." She smiled, "By the time he got to the hospital, he was able to walk and talk again. It's like he was never injured." She assured, "He said to thank you, but he had to get home to his wife and kids." She ran her fingers through my hair, and it took me a moment to realize she knew about his children.

"You know?" I asked, and she nodded.

"He told me while I was waiting for the ambulance to come and get you guys." She divulged, "He said that he owes you worth of five lives, because you saved him twice, you saved his twins..." She leaned down and kissed my forehead, moving my hair from atop it. "Mostly though, you save me, every day of my life." She whispered it, and I felt a tear fall from my eye.

"I love you." I whispered, and she smiled. "How long was I down?" I asked, considering the fact that Jason had enough time to go all the way back to California.

"Six weeks." She gritted her teeth. "The only reason you're alive right now is because of that tree where the barn used to be. We tapped it and got some sweetwater for your IV."

"Well thank God for that accident then." I rolled my eyes, and she giggled as Reggie walked up.

"Thank you, Toni." He said solemnly, and I shrugged.

"Cheryl's the hero, not me." I tried, and he shook his head.

"You made it easier for Cheryl. You were willing to die for a bunch of people who all conspired to kill you. That's more heroic than anything I've ever seen."

...

I was discharged after another day, just in time for Sweetpea's funeral.

Too bad I couldn't do anything about him.

The Serpents all mourned our fallen brother, and we gave him our salute of honor as we buried him under sacred Serpent soil. I cried the entire time, knowing that he died to save Cheryl and I. I almost died, and that would've been a sacrifice wasted on Sweetpea's part.

We went to the Wyrm and drank our sorrows away, all of us Serpents, including Cheryl, who will be anointed with us by FP, our leader, later on in the year.

Riverdale had hit an absolute calm upon the reign of Cheryl and I over the next few months upon the footage from Jason's camera being leaked by Lulu, who played the feed onto the screens in the middle of town. They watched my near death as Jason ran up, then his near death, then the death of Clifford Blossom, at the hands of his own daughter.

...

It's been over a year now, and I still think about Sweetpea every day. We've managed to keep the balance all this time, living without hiding amongst the people as we did before. Cheryl and I lived above the Wyrm as before, happy in our life as a superhero duo. I could never be more in love with Cheryl than I was in those days, being held up by her as we kept the peace, stopping muggings and silly little crimes.

It's no longer crime ridden as it used to be in Riverdale, but now happily peaceful, everyone too happy to occupy themselves with crime.

Sierra McCoy was made mayor of Riverdale, as she was the most trusted woman to the city, and she was the most loyal, to the end.

Now that Cheryl and I have officially been together for almost two years, and unofficially, for eight, I was ready to take the next step with her.

"It was so nice of you to pay to get the drive-in fixed, TT." Cheryl hummed, walking up the stairs to the roof with the blankets in her hands.

"Jughead used to be really attached to this place, so it wasn't out of selflessness." I chuckled as we stepped through the doorway and made our place on the roof.

The movie we were watching was a rerun I'd seen hundreds of times, so much, that I knew every word to it, as though I had lived it myself. We watched it together, laughing at the funny parts, smiling and kissing at the cute parts, and remorseful at the sad parts, until the moment of the movie had come where Tully jumped on top of the Limo and looked down at Olive.

"I love this woman more than anything on this planet," I said in time with the actress on screen, "I was afraid to admit it to anyone but her, but now... now I want everyone to hear me when I say this! Olivia Johnson, will you marry me?" She asked, and Cheryl looked at me with a big bright grin as Olivia answered.

"Nothing would make me happier."

It wasn't the moment I was waiting for.

The next moment is what I was waiting for.

When the credits began to roll, and I stood up, reaching my hand out for Cheryl to take. I helped her up and spun her around at the beginning of the song, playing through the speakers from atop the roof.

"I hear your name, and it's like I'm breaking, aching." I sang it lowly as I spun with her and she smiled.

"I just wanna scream until my voice breaks, even if the tears fall, and my heart hates me. Baby, I love you."

"Why do the songs never have anything to do with the movies?" She asked, and I hummed.

"I don't know." I said, pondering the question. "Maybe it's subliminal or something. It makes you want to feel the way the characters feel." I smiled.

"What?" Cheryl laughed, "Like I'm getting a proposal?"

"I don't know," I shrugged, "Maybe they wanted to make you feel the love they feel. Maybe they want to remind you that you're loved," We stopped moving and I held her hand against my chest. "Or maybe they just wanted to remind me of something I could never forget." I said, looking into her eyes through my lashes.

"And what is that?" She asked, a happy, content smile on her face.

I reached into my jacket pocket and laid my knee upon the blanket we were lying on. "That I love you, and that I would never be the same without you. That I want to spend the rest of my very long, plentiful life with you." I pulled my hand out, revealing a soft, velvet red box. I opened it, watching as Cheryl's hands covered her face, tears pouring from her eyes. "Cheryl, I can't think of anything that could make me happier than the idea of marrying you, and being loyal to you and only you, forever." She looked me in the eyes as I smiled at her. "Will you marry me?"

It was a moment as she cried, sniffling and trying her best to calm down. She abandoned her resolve and nodded through her sobs. I grinned, and stood up, taking her hand to slide the ring on her finger.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me deeply.

Here I stood in the arms of my beloved in the place we first kissed nearly eight years ago, sure that we would be together forever. My city was safe, my friends were happy, and Sweetpea was at peace.

This was all I could ask for.

All I could ever want.

I am Voltage, and this was my story.


End file.
